Witnesses said Islamist fighters began attacking the shrines on Saturday morning, using shovels and pickaxes.… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Mali: Islamists plan to destroy world heritage sites 
Jun 30th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Ansar Eddine intends to destroy all the mausoleums in Timbuktu today. [in French]… Read the rest
More vicious nonsense from Brendan O’Neill
Jun 29th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Just imagine: some people think slicing off bits of an infant’s genitalia for god is “abuse”! Did you ever?… Read the rest
Washington Post on Secular Students of America
Jun 29th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The SSA is helping to establish clubs for high school students to hang out with other teens who share their skepticism about the supernatural.… Read the rest
Journal of Neurophysiology looks at peer review and gender
Jun 29th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
If women are trusted as researchers, why do male-dominant panels outnumber female-dominant panels 15 to 1?… Read the rest
An interview with Secular Woman
Jun 29th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Religions can be very controlling and patriarchal toward women. For many, secularism and feminism can be so intertwined that they cannot be distinguished.… Read the rest
What will Morsi mean for free speech?
Jun 29th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Inex on Censorhips notes: many intellectuals, writers and artists worry that the sweeping tide of Islamism may lead to greater censorship and curb creativity and free expression.… Read the rest
FFRF “quit the church” billboard annoys Fox News
Jun 29th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The Catholic diocese of Dallas says it’s offended. Well it would, wouldn’t it.… Read the rest
CFI announces policy on hostile conduct/harassment
Jun 29th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Intimidation and harassment interfere with productive discussion and cordial interaction among conference participants, so they’re out.… Read the rest
The Dublin anti-abortion ads are wrong on the facts
Jun 28th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Anti-abortion groups claim to support women, but they increase the suffering of women who have had abortions – the very women they ostensibly claim to help.… Read the rest
Anti-abortion ads in Dublin spark anger
Jun 28th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The two posters, one featuring the face of a distraught woman and another showing a foetus, are captioned ‘Abortion tears her life apart. There’s always a better answer.’… Read the rest
Jordan: rape victim, 14, forced to marry rapist
Jun 28th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
He kidnapped her and raped her repeatedly for 4 days – then he “agreed” to marry her to avoid jail. What a fabulous arrangement.… Read the rest
International experts call for a ‘crime against free expression’
Jun 28th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
In response to the rise in attacks on journalists, bloggers, human rights defenders and others targeted for exercising their right to freedom of expression.… Read the rest
Atheist acceptability on the rise in the US
Jun 28th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Since secularity is quite prevalent among young Americans, it is reasonable to think the vilification of the atheism will diminish over time.… Read the rest
CFI New York to protest jailing of Alexander Aan
Jun 27th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
- Starts Friday, July 6th 2012 at 12:30 pm. Ends Friday, July 6th 2012 at 2:00 pm. Location: Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia, 5 East 68th Street, Manhattan
Hilary Mantel is not a fan of the Catholic church
Jun 27th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“When I was a child I wondered why priests and nuns were not nicer people. I thought that they were amongst the worst people I knew.”… Read the rest
New rules on who curtsies to whom
Jun 27th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
No really, there are rules about it. It’s very important.… Read the rest
Do Jesus and Mo wrestle with their feelings about gay sex?
Jun 27th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
No! Yuck!… Read the rest
Sexually assaulting Lara Croft
Jun 27th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
It often feels as though women can’t win when it comes to fighting sexism within gaming: you’re either derided as a “girl gamer” or decried as a feminist bore.… Read the rest
Karachi: life as a prisoner accused of blasphemy
Jun 26th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Sitting in a small cell at the Karachi Central Jail, a skinny man screams for help every 10 minutes. “Please, don’t kill me,” he cries, when someone enters the room.… Read the rest
