Canadian Islamic cleric plays the blame-the-rape-victim game

Al-Haashim Kamena Atangana

Someone didn’t get the memo that it’s growing increasingly uncool to blame the victim for the actions of the aggressors. Here’s a letter sent to the Toronto Sun from an Islamic street preacher who really doesn’t like them womyn having the right to dress as they want – because it puts them in danger, you see:

I wanted to mention that the reason why these sex attacks are continuously happening is because the Canadian laws, which gives too much freedom to women, are the cause of these sex attacks. It has been revealed that every 5 seconds a woman is being sexually assaulted in North America. Women in North America are falling victims of the Democratic Freedom that you they passionly believe in. The reason why a woman gets raped is because of the way she dress. Women dress so provocatively so much that they receive too much attention for themselves and that attention at times leads to death.

I gotta hand it to him – this guy plays the blame game well. It’s all the women’s fault, not those poor, unwilling rapists who are just so powerless to resist the temptation of that devilish skirt-and-blouse combo. Nothing to do with the aggressors’ lack of decency or empathy, of course, or their zeal for dominating helpless victims, or the fact that women are attacked just as often regardless of whether they’re clad in skirts or business suits, or even the insidious aspects in our society that continue to excuse and even promote these acts of sexual aggression – it’s all about those sluts and how many square inches of bare skin they show.

Our dear concerned citizen proposes this modest solution:

If the law enforcements and the Canadian politicians were very serious about solving this problem, they would introduce laws that would make it illegal for women to dress provocatively in the streets. It is true that many people would object to this if that were to happen. and this will definitely create protests and opposition. However by arresting sexual predators is not going to solve the problem because as long women continue to dress like this there will always be perverts and rapist who will continue to remain on the loose.

Because what better way to promote peace and justice than by removing people’s protections and freedoms, amirite?

I am suggesting that Toronto becomes the first City in North America to introduce laws that would make it illegal for women to dress provocatively. If we do this the other cities would follow.

Or the entire civilized world will laugh at you. Could go either way, really.

And of course, what we really need is a good role model:

You should take your example from the way Muslim women dress. Why does Muslim women who wear long dress and covers her head aren’t targeted for sex attacks? Why is it that Rapists and sexual predators only target women that dress so provocatively? Because Muslim women have nothing to show in regards to her body.

Because Muslim women are never raped, of course. I’m telling ya, those burqas and cloaks really do wonders in preventing all those wayward penises from getting too close to their targets. Then again, there’s the fact that they make women look like roving Grim Reapers, and no-one wants to risk dicking anything with a scythe, right? Total protection guaranteed.

You know, I do think this country is entirely too good for some people.

(via Dispatches from the Culture Wars)

Tags: Al-Haashim Kamena Atangana • Islam • Muslims • women • victim-blaming • slut-shaming • Toronto, ON • misogyny • rape