Oct. 27, 2006 - 21:10 MDT

BLAME YOUR OWN

There is an article in this morning's Rocky Mountain News by Rohan Sullivan of the Associated Press dealing with a totally repugnant mindset. Quoted in full here:

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA -- "Australia's most prominent Islamic cleric vowed Thursday to stand strong against widespread outrage over his descriptions of women who don't wear a head scarf as "uncovered meat" who invite rape."

" Sheik Taj Aldin al-Hilali, long a lightning rod in strained relations between the government and the Muslim minority, apologized for any offense he caused women in comments a month ago during a sermon marking the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. But he said he had no intention of stepping down."

"Prime Minister John Howard and others denounced al-Hilali's remarks as blaming women for rape, and there were calls for the cleric to quit or be removed from his role as mufti in the faith."

"The controversy comes amid tense relations between Australia's estimated 300,000 Muslims and the rest of the mostly Christian-heritage population of 20 million. Last December, the nation was gripped by riots that often pitted gangs of white youths against youths of Middle Eastern descent."

"Howard recently offended parts of the Muslim community by singling out some Muslims as extremists who should adopt Australia's liberal attitudes to women's rights."

"In a verified translation from Arabic. al-Hilali was quoted as saying in the sermon: "If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside . . . . and the cats come to eat it . . . whose fault is it, the cats' or the uncovered meat's ?"

"The uncovered meat is the problem. If she was in her room, in her home, in her hijab, no problem would have occurred," he was quoted as saying, referring to the head scarf worn by some Muslim women."

" After last year's deadly London transit bombings, Howard accused Australian Islamic leaders of not doing enough to condemn extremism and offered government money to train local imams and reduce dependence on migrant clerics."

"The issue of how Muslim women should dress has caused debate in Britain since former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, now lelader of the House of Commons, said this month that Muslim women visiting his office should remove their veils."

"al-Hilali, 65, is the top cleric at Sydney's largest mosque, and is considered the most senior Islamic leader by many Muslims in Australia and New Zealand, having been appointed mufti by Australia's top Islamic body."

"His remarks about women drew national attention after they were printed Thursday in a national newspaper, The Australian.

"Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner Pru Goward said al-Hilali's comments encouraged rape and that Muslims should force him to step down."

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So, it appears to me that the "Mufti" should be preaching only to his own people - - - right ?

So isn't he saying in his own inimitable way that his male followers are incapable of restraining themselves from raping a women not wearing a scarf ?

Criminy, OPEN SEASON ON "uncovered meat" what a gross way of referring to women of his own faith, not to speak of the rest of the women of the world.

Isn't it in the Middle East that female genital mutilation is also practised ? Do I have that wrong ?

A hell of an excuse when a "Mufti" lowers himself classifying his worshipper men as rampant rapists, Not like school "Show and Tell" here, but a practise wherein you, by preaching, BLAME YOUR OWN . . . . . . . . . . . .

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