Freedom is on the march?

Good Lord. The Saudis are mulling over a proposal to ban women from the vicinity of Mecca’s holy sites and, in particular, the area of the Grand Mosque during daily prayers. From the AP:

The issue has raised a storm of protest across the kingdom, with some women saying they fear the move is meant to restrict women's roles in Saudi society even further. But the religious authorities behind the proposal insist its real purpose is to lessen the chronic problem of overcrowding, which has led to deadly riots during pilgrimages at Mecca in the past.

Um, bullshit. Safety concerns issued by people that still advocate stoning as an appropriate punishment cannot be taken seriously. If safety was the real reason, why aren’t men being restricted as well? Overcrowding is a non-gender specific problem. I guess in Wahhabism, a sausage fest stampede is OK, but once the chicks get involved, a guy could get cooties. Whatever…

Only a very sick society would consider something like this. When are these people going to step into the 20th Century?