Progress has been made, but some churches decline “help”; they still abuse children as “witches.”… Read the rest
Welcome to our archive of news stories relevant to the project of fighting fashionable nonsense. The stories are drawn from the electronic pages of the world’s media. On this page, you’ll find links to those stories that have been featured on Butterflies and Wheels during the current year. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find links to separate archives of stories from previous years.
We’re always pleased to hear about news stories that you think should be featured on Butterflies and Wheels. Just send an email here, if you want to point one out to us.
A note about links
Inevitably links go out of date. We suggest, therefore, that you make hard-copies of the stories that particularly interest you.
Ashtiani’s cellmate was there when she was sentenced 
Jul 28th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“She just cried and I didn’t see her without crying until the last day I spent time with her in prison.”… Read the rest
Multiculturalism and its discontents
Jul 28th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Little boys treating women like sources of contamination; racism; female genital mutilation.… Read the rest
Faith-healing in Oregon
Jul 27th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Take a look at Alayna Wyland, age 8 months, and the untreated hemangioma over her eye.… Read the rest
The worst thing to be is an Afghan woman
Jul 27th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Stories abound of young women betrothed as toddlers, exchanged for fighting dogs or to pay debts, beaten and raped by their husbands.… Read the rest
Arundhati Roy the reactionary
Jul 27th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Roy has chosen to make progress—along with democracy—her bête noire.… Read the rest
Gail Dines on porn and the degradation of women
Jul 27th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“Pornography today is not your father’s Playboy. It’s hard-core, cruel, and brutal.”… Read the rest
Tory MP faces arrest if he refuses to meet women in niqab
Jul 26th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Lawyers for Liberty told Philip Hollobone his “threat” to refuse to meet constituents wearing the niqab is unlawful.… Read the rest
The horrors of female genital mutilation
Jul 26th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Up to 2,000 British schoolgirls will suffer FGM during the holidays, but there have been no prosecutions to date.… Read the rest
The picture in Wikileaks docs is bleak
Jul 26th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The docs sketch a war hamstrung by an Afghan government, police force and army of questionable loyalty and competence.… Read the rest
Wikileaks documents indicate Pakistan aids Taliban
Jul 26th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Officials say portrait of ISI collaboration with Afghan insurgency is broadly consistent with other classified intelligence.… Read the rest
Stop that woman!
Jul 25th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Wajiha Al-Huwaidar’s husband gets an automated SMS text message from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs whenever she leaves the country.… Read the rest
Barbara Forrest on Louisiana Science Education Act
Jul 25th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The Louisiana Family Forum wrote the bill, assisted by the Discovery Institute.… Read the rest
No blasphemy for Russia
Jul 25th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Two Russian museum curators were found guilty of “inciting religious hatred” for displaying a painting of Jesus with Mickey Mouse’s head.… Read the rest
Jerry Coyne on “Tom Johnson” and “Exhibit A”
Jul 25th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Actual information at last, from people who actually know. It never happened. The monster spitting atheists don’t exist.… Read the rest
Universities and the fight for reason and capitalism
Jul 24th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A major bank donates millions to universities, conditional on the teaching of Ayn Rand’s novels in special courses extolling capitalism and self-interest.… Read the rest
Carol Everhart Roper reviews Does God Hate Women?
Jul 24th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
More favorably than Cristina Odone and Sholto Byrnes did.… Read the rest
Leaving the Catholic church is a matter of integrity
Jul 24th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
If I don’t agree with some of the church’s most central teachings, then I really shouldn’t be a member.… Read the rest
Vatican complains of “secularist leanings” of BBC
Jul 24th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“The BBC is unable to take the faith with the seriousness it deserves.”… Read the rest
Why Sherrod was thrown to the wolves
Jul 24th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
At the behest of a source whose track record should have set alarm bells ringing in the head of any responsible journalist.… Read the rest
