The burqa equates piety with the disappearance of women. The closer you are to God, the less I see of you.… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Faked video gets black USDA official fired 
Jul 20th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Andrew Breitbart deceived millions of people by releasing only partial clips of Sherrod’s remarks at NAACP meeting.… Read the rest
Peoria diocese wants to run the U of Illinois
Jul 20th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The diocese and the St. John’s Catholic Newman Center tell the public university what it must do.… Read the rest
Catholic organization pays teacher at U of Illinois
Jul 20th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The St. John’s Catholic Newman Center hires and pays instructors of Catholic church history at a public university.… Read the rest
Terry Glavin talks to Majabeen, a future doctor
Jul 20th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Before she came to the orphanage, Majabeen had never been to school, so even now, she is only in Grade 6. But she is determined.… Read the rest
Terry Glavin on universalism v culturalism
Jul 20th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
On the one hand Lauryn Oates, Sima Samar, Alaina Podmorow; on the other hand, “yes but.”… Read the rest
Council tells schools how to enforce Ramadan
Jul 20th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Stoke-on-Trent City Council issues an 11-page Ramadan guide for schools; no swimming lessons lest students swallow water.… Read the rest
Science and religion as “ways of knowing”
Jul 19th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
If induction can’t be used to prove an absolute, is that really a problem that religion can solve?… Read the rest
When men make lists of sexiest scientists
Jul 19th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
That sends a message about what the point of women is.… Read the rest
Carlin Romano sniggers at Hitchens
Jul 19th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
What an ugly mind is here displayed.… Read the rest
New Statesman interviews Ann Widdicombe
Jul 19th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“I left the Church of England because there was a huge bundle of straw. The ordination of women was the last straw.”… Read the rest
A heap of illiberal dreck in the New Statesman
Jul 19th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Bryan Appleyard explains why religion is mandatory.… Read the rest
Terry Sanderson defends secularism
Jul 19th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Secularism protects us all from the authoritarianism that is characteristic of religion when it has temporal power.… Read the rest
Archbishop explains why church excludes women
Jul 18th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Women are just precious and darling, he said, but priests have always been men, and we can’t change that.… Read the rest
Jason Rosenhouse asks: where’s the backlash?
Jul 18th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The New Atheists are said to be bad for evolution acceptance and education, but the numbers show not the slightest evidence of a backlash.… Read the rest
Johann Hari on Polanski and the “lynch mob”
Jul 18th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
It’s ok to drug and rape a 13-year-old girl as long as you’re an artist, we are told.… Read the rest
“The New Atheists” have no evidence
Jul 18th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“Think of the range of legitimate positions that can be taken on the question of whether earthworms are conscious.”… Read the rest
Ratzinger’s office failed to act on child rape
Jul 18th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Ratzinger was part of a culture of nonresponsibility, denial, legalistic foot-dragging and outright obstruction.… Read the rest
Clueless in Rome
Jul 18th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“It’s not for canonical legislation to get itself involved with civil law,” one prelate airily declared.… Read the rest
The Taliban war on women continues
Jul 17th, 2010 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
When the Taliban told 22-year-old Hossai to quit her job, she refused to be bullied. She was shot and killed.… Read the rest
