Quotes Alison Des Forges, HRW researcher and Rwanda expert, killed in plane crash yesterday.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Kenan Malik Explodes Fatwa Myths
Feb 13th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The controversy was political, not all Muslims were offended, a plural society needs free expression.… Read the rest
Bunglawala on the Fatwa and Geert Wilders
Feb 13th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Calls to ban Rushdie’s book were wrong; could Wilders be another stick to beat Muslims with?… Read the rest
A C Grayling on Silencing Free Speech
Feb 13th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Barring Wilders is tantamount to buckling to implicit blackmail by a small gang of contemptibles.… Read the rest
Appignanesi and Sacranie on The Satanic Verses
Feb 13th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Bunting says Sacranie became a leading figure of ‘the protest movement’ in ‘the British Muslim community.’… Read the rest
What we talk about when we talk about riots
Feb 12th, 2009 6:38 pm | By Ophelia BensonJohann responds to the riots. He apologizes humbly; he explains that he only meant that free speech is a good idea in general but not of course if it offends anyone, or risks offending anyone, or might offend anyone if the wind were from the north, or could conceivably offend a very touchy person who hadn’t eaten in four days and had a hangover; he says it has always been his view that writers and journalists and thinkers and polemicists should always first consult with the community, and the leaders of the community, and the spiritual guides of the community, and every cleric within a five thousand mile radius, and Wall Street, and the tide tables, and a homeopath, … Read the rest
Johann Hari Responds to the Riots
Feb 12th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
He takes it all back. The hell he does; he stands by every word of it.… Read the rest
The Indy on the ‘Outrage’ Over Hari’s Article
Feb 12th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Sections of central Kolkata have been paralysed by protests for much of the past week.… Read the rest
When Policy Makers Listen to AIDS Denialists
Feb 12th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Denialism offers a false debate that policy makers can use to evade caring for people affected by AIDS. … Read the rest
How Casey Luskin Gets Lucy Wrong
Feb 12th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Well, it starts with the bones…… Read the rest
Susan Jacoby on Darwin the Disturber
Feb 12th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘People say natural selection is ok for human bodies but not for brain or behavior,’ says Helena Cronin… Read the rest
Darwin Day
Feb 12th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
For those unable to get to an event, Darwin’s complete publications and 20,000 private papers are available online.… Read the rest
Court Rules Autism Not Caused by Vaccines
Feb 12th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Decision a severe blow to ‘grass-roots movement’ that claims vacs have caused surge in autism.… Read the rest
Saudi Woman Sentenced for Being Raped
Feb 12th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
One year prison term, 100 lashes; she ‘confessed’ she had ‘a forced sexual intercourse.’… Read the rest
Eight is nowhere near enough
Feb 11th, 2009 4:42 pm | By Ophelia BensonDear zany madcap Nadya Suleman was on tv again last night, in a nice extensive interview that she gave away for free. Like so many of my fellow Murkans, I find her morbidly fascinating. Her peculiar air of warm, even patronizing confidence is especially intriguing. I get the distinct impression that she thinks of herself as deeply wise, even wiser than Angelina Jolie. She was asked, right out in the open, if she had had a lip job, and she said no. I don’t believe her, and neither does anyone else. Of course she bloody did; she wasn’t born with those things! The mystery is why she thinks they’re attractive.
There were some funny parts. I just wanted to mention … Read the rest
But only in the sense of tolerance
Feb 11th, 2009 4:05 pm | By Ophelia BensonI like Evolving Thoughts but I think John Wilkins got the wrong end of the stick when he read Johann’s article ‘Why should I respect these oppressive religions?’ He quoted a bit on the Islamic Declaration of Human Rights and the UN and then commented:
There’s more, but I wanted only to discuss the UN-bashing here. There has been no such resolution by the UN, either by the General Assembly or the Security Council.
It’s not clear from the quoted passage exactly what resolution he means – it could be the Cairo Declaration, it could be the resolution on ‘defamation of religion,’ it could be the change in the role of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights – or … Read the rest
Devika Bhat Cheers on the Loose Women
Feb 11th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A delightfully irreverent response to a po-faced and humourless organisation. … Read the rest
Woman Uses New Forced Marriage Law
Feb 11th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Police hope this sends a strong message to women that they are not alone, there are people who can help them.… Read the rest
Women Resist Sri Ram Sena
Feb 11th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The Consortium of Pub-going, Loose and Forward Women urges Indian women to defy the bullies.… Read the rest
Statesman Editor, Publisher Arrested
Feb 11th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
On the charge of ‘insulting the religious belief of a community’ following street protests.… Read the rest