Cites Salman Rushdie in support! Oy…… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Excerpt from Nick Cohen’s New Book 
Jan 22nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Why will students hear a leftish postmodern theorist defend the exploitation of women in traditional cultures?… Read the rest
Kelly Trying to Water Down Gay Rights Laws
Jan 22nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
She is determined to include a loophole for her church in the Equality Act 2006.… Read the rest
Joan Smith on Kelly’s Conflict of Interest
Jan 22nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Bishops would rather see kids remain in institutions than hand them over to same-sex adoptive parents. … Read the rest
Blair and Kelly Join to Appease Bishops
Jan 22nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘It is the equivalent of telling Rosa Parks to wait for the fully integrated bus coming behind.’… Read the rest
Chancellor Refuses to Exempt Catholics
Jan 22nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Church cannot be exempted from new laws banning discrimination against gay people, Falconer said.… Read the rest
Muslim Cop Refuses to Shake Hands
Jan 22nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
MCB soothingly notes that in a real emergency the cop will do her job.… Read the rest
Pagans Worship Zeus
Jan 22nd, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Why just Zeus? Why not Athena? What about Artemis? What’s with the daddy thing?… Read the rest
Suspect in Hrant Dink Murder Arrested
Jan 21st, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Journalists and politicians in Turkey have expressed outrage at the killing.… Read the rest
Turkish Newspapers Express Shock at Murder
Jan 21st, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘No greater insult could have been made against Turkey and the Turkish identity.’… Read the rest
Fury in Turkey
Jan 21st, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Thousands rallied in Istanbul. ‘We are all Armenians, we are all Hrant Dink,’ the crowd chanted.… Read the rest
Hrant Dink Refused to be Silent
Jan 21st, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
In a column this week, Dink said he had received many death threats, and that he was scared. … Read the rest
Babar Sattar on Pakistan’s Blasphemy Laws
Jan 20th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Blasphemy laws undermine free speech and encourage religious bigotry and obscurantism.… Read the rest
Busted for Allegedly Violating Public Order Act
Jan 20th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
That’s the one where if someone feels insulted, you done broke the law.… Read the rest
The Sound Healers Association Get Together
Jan 20th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
To project a sonic Valentine to the Earth Mother. Aw, that’s sweet.… Read the rest
Instructions for Sound Healing
Jan 20th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Arrange chakras. Buy tuning fork. Arrange crystal bowls. Say ‘om’. Be one with all life.… Read the rest
Wendy Doniger on Women and Religion
Jan 20th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Most major religions have been run by men, who have often used them to control and suppress women.… Read the rest
Letters on Giles Fraser on Gay Rights
Jan 20th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
If anti-gay rights Xians are the minority, why did four out of the five bishops vote against the rules?… Read the rest
Deborah Tannen on Religious Control of Women
Jan 20th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Men seek to manage male sexual drives by
managing the appearance and behavior of women.… Read the rest
Letters on ‘Biologic Institute’
Jan 19th, 2007 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
There is a difficulty, which is that no scientific experiment can have any bearing on their hypothesis.… Read the rest
