On the other hand, blame it on the meat

Sheikh Taj El-Din Hamid Hilaly, Australia's senior Muslim cleric, has suggested women wouldn't be assaulted if they wore hijabs and stayed home more. He illustrated his theory with a little homily:

"If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside on the street, or in the garden or in the park, or in the back yard without a cover, and the cats come and eat it ... whose fault is it, the cats or the uncovered meat? The uncovered meat is the problem."

Needless to say, not all Australians appreciated the Sheikh's homely wisdom. Pru Goward, Australia's sex discrimination commissioner, called for Hilaly, who has also praised martyrdom and called the September 11 attacks the work of God, to be deported for inciting rape. "It is incitement to a crime," she said, "Young Muslim men who now rape women can cite this in court, can quote this man -- their leader -- in court."

Nor were many Muslim Australians thrilled. The Islamic Council of New South Wales called his comments "un-Islamic, un-Australian and unacceptable," while Iktami Hage-Ali, a former government advisor on Muslim issues, said Hilaly should be fired.

Ah religion, always good for a little moral enlightenment.