Oz politicians on "uncovered meat" sheik

Australian politicians draw lines in the sand. I suppose they have more sand in Australia so they get more practice.

Both the New South Wales Premier, Morris Iemma, and the PM, John Howard, are coming down hard on the Sheik who compared women without the veil to "uncovered meat", and has Satan say that women are his "best weapon".

Morris Iemma
He should retire, he should go. We don't have a system in this country in which the person who suffers - the victim - is the person who is at fault. That's our belief; that's our standard.

John Howard
What I am saying to the Islamic community is this: If they do not resolve this matter, it could do lasting damage to the perceptions of that community within the broader Australian community.

If it is not resolved, then unfortunately people will run around saying, 'Well the reason they didn't get rid of him is because secretly some of them support his views'.

Mind you, it wasn't that long ago that people in the West thought and said things that were not so different.