THE CAVEMAN CLERIC

About twenty years ago I was fined $15,000 and sentenced to community service for naming a Melbourne Judge who had ruled that a man could not rape his wife under a 350-year-old British law. I figured that at least the Judge’s wife should know the way he thought. It was a terrible rape case. The victim approached me with her story. She was estranged from her husband. Had gone back to the house to get some clothes.  He attacked her so savagely he tore her vagina with his fingernails.

Not only was a rape charge dismissed. He was not even charged with assault and walked free. I’m, proud to say that that law was changed.

It is sad to see, two decades later, there are still Neanderthals out there – like the caveman cleric Samir Abu Hamza. He believes it is OK for a man to beat his wife into submission. With subtlety of course. He instructs his followers that they are not allowed to bruise them or make them bleed. Just to ‘shape them up’. And they should only be beaten as a last resort.

In a video recording of a speech to his all-male audience Hamza derides Australia’s criminal laws about forced sex. If a man wants to have sex with his wife it is her duty to comply ‘even if she is preparing the bread on the stove’.

In Australia, if a husband sleeps with his wife by force it is known as rape. ‘Amazing’ he says, ‘how can a person rape his wife?’

This goon makes Sheik Ukelele sound like Mother Teresa. Admittedly he made the videoed speech some years ago but he still stands by his comments. He blames the current headlines on a ‘hidden Zionist agenda run by the media’.

I guess that includes rational, decent, Muslim spokesmen and women who have denounced his putrid views.

The sad thing here is that this zealot is doing his own religion and the community a disservice by re-enforcing stereotypes of Mad Mullahs and subjugated women.

So. Should he be ignored? No. We should know what is being espoused by so-called leaders in our community. Should he be gagged? No. I believe in free speech no matter how offensive it is.

But, Samir Abu Hamza is obviously well versed in what constitutes rape under our criminal code. Couldn’t he face charges of inciting violence? Even being an accessory to rape? I mean, I was convicted and fined and did a couple of hundred hours of community service for trying to stop what he is advocating.

Thursdasy, January 22, 2009

© Copyright Derryn Hinch 2008