‘Come and get me, copper,’ one comedian says.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Women in Afghanistan are in Big Trouble 
Jul 23rd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Taliban-founded Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice returns.… Read the rest
‘Community Leaders’ Vow to Do Anything it Takes
Jul 23rd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Calling ‘Brick Lane’ ‘a violation of the human rights of the community.’… Read the rest
More From the ‘Community Leaders’
Jul 22nd, 2006 11:53 pm | By Ophelia BensonMore good stuff*. More on the Community Pitching a Fit.
Residents and traders in Brick Lane, east London, have threatened protests and street blockades to prevent filming of a screen adaptation of a book by bestselling novelist Monica Ali which they claim is “racist and insulting” toward the Bangladeshi community…Last night, after a series of public meetings about the film, community leaders vowed to do “anything it takes” to block filming, labelling the book “a violation of the human rights of the community”.
Monica Ali’s novel is racist, insulting, and a violation of the human rights of the community – those community leaders certainly have the jargon down pat, don’t they. They know what you’re supposed to say – … Read the rest
Stop Her!
Jul 22nd, 2006 7:59 pm | By Ophelia BensonHere we go again. The community. Offend. You can’t. Protest. Warn. Prevent. You mustn’t, you can’t, you shan’t, we’ll stop you, shut up, don’t write, don’t talk, don’t say, shut up, The Community.
But to many of the residents on Brick Lane…the novel offers such a negative portrayal of the community that they have mobilised protest groups against a film being made…[R]esidents and traders gathered to prevent filming after hearing that a crew were to begin their work along the Brick Lane area. Some residents have warned of blockades to stop the film from being made…”Yes, you create a work of fiction, but you do not create fiction which offends a whole community.”
Authoritarianism and do-what-I-tell-youism raises its nasty … Read the rest
Janet Browne on the Controversy over Darwin’s Book
Jul 22nd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Four of Darwin’s friends carried the brunt of the public storm: each a specialist in his scientific field.… Read the rest
Swimming in Body Armor, What Fun
Jul 22nd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The Islamic swimwear is a full-body suit and a hood over a tight bonnet – for women, that is.… Read the rest
Protests at Filming of ‘Brick Lane’
Jul 22nd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘You do not create fiction which offends a whole community.’ Oh yes you do.… Read the rest
HRW Says Little is Known of What Happened
Jul 22nd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
No major news organization outside Iran has tracked down what really happened.… Read the rest
Doug Ireland on the Protests
Jul 22nd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A lot of material.… Read the rest
Protests, Vigils, Dialogue Mark Anniversary
Jul 22nd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Vigils were held to mark the first anniversary of Iran’s hanging of two teenagers accused of homosexuality. … Read the rest
Is There a ‘Pogrom’ Against Gays in Iran?
Jul 22nd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
HRW says no, Doug Ireland says yes.… Read the rest
Pearse’s “Perfect Little Pigs” or Translating Celsus
Jul 22nd, 2006 | By R. Joseph HoffmannSince it first appeared on his blogspace in 2002, the most frequently Googled article about me—depressingly—is a piece called “Celsus, Origen and Hoffmann” by a certain freelance Tadler named Roger Pearse. The irritable Mr. Pearse has become in the intervening years a watchful enemy of my work and a sort of unconsecrated bishop in the church of Anglo-Patristic Orthodoxy. So dutiful is his vigilance in this office (by day Mr. Pearse disguises himself as an unassuming computer programmer) that I have occasionally felt remorse at not giving him enough work to watch. This may seem petulance, I know. But I prefer to think of it as anger; and as Aristotle reminds us, “To be angry with the right man, to … Read the rest
Iowan Arrested for Flying Upside-down Flag
Jul 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Charged with disorderly conduct, getting death threats from a forum on a Marine vets’ website.… Read the rest
The Fad for Yob Lit
Jul 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Gilbert recasts insignificant bits of everyday life as being the source of social decay today. … Read the rest
Barney Frank’s Speech to Congress
Jul 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘This is an administration which considers checks and balances to be a hindrance to effective governance.’… Read the rest
Barney Frank on the Plebiscitary Presidency
Jul 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The president is not the single decider. He is the most important in a system of multiple sources of power.… Read the rest
Maclean’s Provides Articles on/by Jahanbegloo
Jul 20th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Ottawa is powerless to do anything about the imprisonment of one of its citizens.… Read the rest
Danny Postel Interview with Ramin Jahanbegloo
Jul 20th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Interview was conducted via e-mail in January and February 2006 – just before Jahanbegloo’s arrest.… Read the rest
Japanese PM Continutes to Visit War Shrine
Jul 20th, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Despite the presence of war criminals there and anger of Korea and China.… Read the rest
