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Inevitably links go out of date.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.


Maryam declines the request to self-censor *

Feb 8th, 2012 | Filed by

It’s Islamism that’s demonizing Islam more than anything else.… Read the rest



Bunglawala demands friendlier reporting on Islam *

Feb 8th, 2012 | Filed by

Appearing before the Leveson Inquiry on January 24, he said the amount of negative stories about Muslims in Britain is “demonizing” Islam and fuelling a “false narrative.”… Read the rest



US Catholic bishops attempt to control legislation *

Feb 7th, 2012 | Filed by

They want to impose their religion on the entire population, and call the refusal to do so a violation of their religious liberty.… Read the rest



Pope accidentally exorcized two demons *

Feb 7th, 2012 | Filed by

It’s because he’s magic, and the devil knows it.… Read the rest



Court rules California Prop 8 unconstitutional *

Feb 7th, 2012 | Filed by

The 2-1 decision by a panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals found that Proposition 8 violated the U.S. Constitution. The architects of Prop. 8 have vowed to appeal.

Read the rest



Vatican meeting could possibly be PR exercise *

Feb 6th, 2012 | Filed by

Ya think?… Read the rest



Shrinking secular spaces in the UK *

Feb 6th, 2012 | Filed by

Identity anti-racists such as the Stop the War Coalition have dismissed and continue to dismiss secular activist voices like those of Gita Sahgal or secular organisations such as Just Peace.Read the rest



Rebecca Watson on seeing the patriarchy *

Feb 6th, 2012 | Filed by

There may always be something big and obvious about the way the world works, that we may be missing.… Read the rest



Damian Thompson on the delusions of bishops *

Feb 6th, 2012 | Filed by

Senior churchmen speak of the “spiritual hunger” of the young. That’s wishful thinking.… Read the rest



Ireland: Fine Gael wrangles over re-opening Vatican embassy *

Feb 6th, 2012 | Filed by

One of the most surreal moments saw TD Peter Mathews brandish a set of rosary beads at the “secularist members of the party”.… Read the rest



Maryam Namazie’s talk in Stockholm *

Feb 5th, 2012 | Filed by

Video in 5 parts.… Read the rest



Bullies protest hiring of Ellen DeGeneres *

Feb 5th, 2012 | Filed by

Group calling itself “One Million Moms” accuses JC Penney of “jumping on the pro-gay bandwagon” and rants about “traditional values.”… Read the rest



Iran accused of intimidating BBC Persian staff *

Feb 5th, 2012 | Filed by

Mark Thompson wrote in his blog that for BBC Persian staff, “interference and harassment from the Iranian authorities has become a challenging fact of life”.… Read the rest



McLean’s on the Shafia murders *

Feb 5th, 2012 | Filed by

The father on the tape: “They betrayed kindness, they betrayed Islam, they betrayed our religion and creed, they betrayed our tradition, they betrayed everything.”… Read the rest



Vancouver Sun talks to Pat Churchland *

Feb 4th, 2012 | Filed by

She considers neuroscience more reliable than folk psychology.… Read the rest



Julian Baggini notes it’s not easy being atheist in the US *

Feb 4th, 2012 | Filed by

In a nation that celebrates freedom of religion like no other, freedom not to be  religious at all can be as hard to exercise as the right to swim the Atlantic.… Read the rest



Subject opinion to coercion: whom will you make your inquisitors? *

Feb 4th, 2012 | Filed by

Members of UCLASH were not reposting the cartoon to reoffend, but to reaffirm that if the freedom to speak means anything, it means the freedom to say things that people do not like.… Read the rest



Bath Christian group’s ‘God can heal’ adverts banned *

Feb 4th, 2012 | Filed by

Advertising Standards Authority said leaflet that says “Need Healing? God can heal today!” is misleading. Group said it’s just normal Christian belief.… Read the rest



US: one town’s war on gay teenagers *

Feb 3rd, 2012 | Filed by

“LGBTQ students don’t feel safe at school. They’re made to feel ashamed of who they are. They’re bullied. And there’s no one to stand up for them, because teachers are afraid of being fired.”… Read the rest



Marc Stephens threatens Popehat some more *

Feb 3rd, 2012 | Filed by

Out of the blue, Stephens sends Popehat a message saying, “I see you’re obsessed with me.”… Read the rest