Rushdie helped writers around the world who found themselves persecuted by states or religious hierarchies.… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Rorty Remembered 
Jun 19th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Habermas, Blackburn, Dennett, Nussbaum, Bérubé, Fish, Bromwich, Dickstein, others.… Read the rest
A C Grayling on the Council of Ex-Muslims
Jun 19th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Led by the outstanding Maryam Namazie, champion of human rights, women, and refugees from religious persecution.… Read the rest
Jesus and Mo on Rushdie’s Gong
Jun 19th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Do they have effigy shops in Pakistan, or something?’… Read the rest
Another Round of Childish Raging on the Way
Jun 18th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Pakistani Religious Affairs Minister pitches fit over Rushdie’s K, says suicide bombing is justified.… Read the rest
Nonsense From Priyamvada Gopal
Jun 18th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Says Rushdie thinks humane values and freedom are western ideas that must be defended as such.… Read the rest
Atheism is a Position of Intellectual Curiosity
Jun 18th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Children should not be subjected to the bullying hostility of faith schools towards the atheist. … Read the rest
MCB Calls Rushdie K a ‘Final Insult’
Jun 18th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Preliminary insult of fatwa not mentioned; ‘blasphemy’ apparently worse than murder.… Read the rest
Launch of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
Jun 18th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Maryam Namazie to lead; Mina Ahadi and Mahin Alipour will be there. June 21. Go!… Read the rest
Iran Pissed Off About Rushdie’s K
Jun 17th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Islamophobic British officials heap honours on horrid apostate, ‘offending’ Muslims all over again.… Read the rest
Police and Prosecutors Target ‘Honour’ Killing
Jun 17th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
CPS revealed changes after justice system was criticised for doing too little to protect women. … Read the rest
Shami Chakrabarti Gets a Gong
Jun 17th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘This recognition belongs to Liberty, the oldest rights and freedoms campaign in this country.’… Read the rest
Bekhal Mahmod Lives in Fear
Jun 17th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘There are people in my community who want to see me dead, and they will not rest until I am. I will never be safe.’… Read the rest
‘Now I’m Afraid All the Time’
Jun 17th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘I feel like a piece of dirt. I came to Australia for freedom and Abdul Reda took my freedom away.’… Read the rest
David Goodhart: Open Letter to Tariq Ramadan
Jun 16th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Shouldn’t you be using your influence to combat this anti-western, victim mentality among your fellow Muslims?… Read the rest
Tariq Ramadan Trots Out the Grievances
Jun 16th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘It is common knowledge that the authors of the terrorist acts were thoroughly integrated.’… Read the rest
Gaza Gets Islamism Along With its Poverty
Jun 16th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A gunman attacked a UN primary school because it allowed young boys and girls to mix in the playground.… Read the rest
Islamists Shut Down Schools in South Thailand
Jun 16th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Narathiwat province closed more than 300 government schools after insurgents killed three teachers.… Read the rest
Creationist Challenge
Jun 16th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Can you replicate the feat? Go on, give it a shot.… Read the rest
HRW: Education in Thailand Engulfed in Fear
Jun 16th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Two gunmen walked into the library and shot two female teachers in the head, abdomen and legs. … Read the rest
