Mufti Day = Casual Friday

Today in Australian News it’s definitely Mufti Day. Also known as Casual Friday

I post this for our international readers as anyone is Australia couldn’t have missed this item.

It’s all over the news: Sheik Hilali, Australia’s Mufti, has ruffled feathers with a speech where in a poor metaphor he likens women to cat food and suggesting the way they dress induces men to sexualise and assault them. It’s a biggie; The Sex Discrimination Commissioner Pru Goward demanded that Sheik Hilali be charged with "incitement to rape".

Here is an excerpt from an article in the Australian:

In a clear reference to the notorious Sydney gang rapists, Sheik Hilali said in the sermon: "It is she who takes off her clothes, shortens them, flirts, puts on make-up and powder and takes to the streets, God protect us, dallying.

"It's she who shortens raises and lowers. Then it's a look, then a smile, then a conversation, a greeting, then a conversation, then a date, then a meeting, then a crime, then Long Bay Jail," he tells his worshippers with a chuckle.

"Then you get a judge, who has no mercy and he gives you 65 years.

"But when it comes to this disaster, who started it? In his literature, scholar al-Rafihi says: 'If I came across a rape crime - kidnap and violation of honour - I would discipline the man and order that the woman be arrested and jailed for life.' Why would you do this, Rafihi? He says because if she had not left the meat uncovered, the cat wouldn't have snatched it."

You can see the nature of the controversy. If women dress the way they do they are asking to be raped!

And there is another side to it, as the Triple J breakfast crew reminded me this morning. If it was a Christian religious leader would this much controversy be going on or would we quietly ignore them and get on with the day? And then there are the women who wear burkahs and veils. They should be allowed to go about their business without harassment, but our good mufti is going to make things difficult for them by his contextualisation of the outfits.

Well, here’s another shit storm for people to get worked up about.

Me? I am still coming to grips with this: The metaphor is that if uncovered meat is left out it isn’t the cat’s fault that it eats the meat. But how is it the meat’s fault? And if the meat is left out, isn’t it likely to b bad? Won’t the cat get sick? And then won’t we have to decide whether to take it to the vet or put it down?

Come on people, if you are going to use metaphors, work them.

And lastly; why do Australian Muftis always get interviewed in bed? Is it some kind of Lennon thing?