"Sometimes a religious figure, such as a mufti, gives a sermon about human nature, rape and the general sexual madness, a bit like what parents say to their children in private: 'Look after yourself, take responsibility, there are some dark forces and crazy people out there who will destroy you if you are not careful'. But the mufti uses ripe, rustic language, earthy metaphors and unpleasant ideas. He is set up and set upon by a national newspaper and told to shut up and resign. The Prime Minister chimes in. The mufti is denounced. But while we may not agree with everything he says, we sort of understand something of what he is trying to get at. In the great tradition that Australians are meant to admire, he's at least having a go, in difficult terrain where all sorts of silver-tongue-tied experts are refusing to travel and are remaining silent." (The Lot, Michael Leunig, 2008, pp 73-74)
The Australian, 27/10/06: "[I]t would be hard to find a better example of ideas that go against the grain of Australia's shared values than those expressed in a Ramadan sermon by Australia's supreme Muslim cleric, Sheik Taj Din al-Hilali, and reported by Richard Kerbaj in yesterday's The Australian. For in likening immodestly dressed women to 'uncovered meat' that can be dragged away and eaten by cats, the nation's Mufti appalled both Muslim and non-Muslim Australians alike." (Editorial: Time to muzzle the outrageous Mufti)
The Australian, 15/3/10: "As The Weekend Australian reported, a generation of libertarians who argued against censorship and in favour of an open sexual culture is now worried about the corporate sexualisation of children and the mainstreaming of pornography. Not surprisingly, the revolt against a world in which little girls are encouraged to dress like tarts, prostitution is glamorised, and narrow physical ideals dominate teenage culture, is being led by parents, anxious that the internet and other technologies have changed the cultural landscape. This disquiet should not be dismissed as puritanism..." (Editorial: The revolt against raunch)
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Re the current 'annoyance' of the USA over Israeli settlements and the fact that it was reported extensively on SBS. What does this release from the general reporting embargo mean? "Stephen Smith would not be drawn on the matter" [SBS news] so he hasn't been told what to say either.
It cannot be anything to do with the settlements per se as these have been going on for years without a squeak of protest. So what's going on, was Biden irritated by something perhaps? Any ideas?
It seems to me that Anon. 6:48 PM would like to change the subject. Wonder why?
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