All entries by this author

Two Philosophers Feud Over a Book Review *

Jan 19th, 2008 | Filed by

The view from Cornell, The Philosophical Review’s home, is that the fuss is overblown. … Read the rest



Turks Remember Hrant Dink *

Jan 19th, 2008 | Filed by

Thousands of people gathered in Istanbul to commemorate the murder with flowers and candles.… Read the rest



Hani Ramadan Wins Compensation Payment *

Jan 19th, 2008 | Filed by

Geneva teacher, brother of Tariq, was fired for Le Monde opinion piece defending stoning.… Read the rest



Mo Has a Cunning Plan *

Jan 18th, 2008 | Filed by

Tell the barmaid he’s offended. Yes but will she care? Poor Mo.… Read the rest



Anniversary of Murder of Hrant Dink *

Jan 18th, 2008 | Filed by

The victim of a state-endorsed nationalism that bans any mention of certain aspects of Turkish history.… Read the rest



RSF: Mullahs Call for Death Penalty for Journalist *

Jan 18th, 2008 | Filed by

Religious fundamentalists try to prevent any debate about Islam and the status of women. … Read the rest



Front Page Interviews Azar Majedi *

Jan 18th, 2008 | Filed by

They disagree on quite a few points.… Read the rest



Creation Museum Sells Mastodon Skull *

Jan 18th, 2008 | Filed by

The skull is estimated to be 40,000 years old – but not of course by creationists.… Read the rest



Rushdie: Ignore the 25 Goondas at the Gate *

Jan 17th, 2008 | Filed by

Whether it’s India or UK or US, we cannot allow religious hooligans to place limiting points on thought.… Read the rest



How Journalism Talks About Women *

Jan 17th, 2008 | Filed by

Coverage of male candidates is about issues, of female candidates about appearance and family.… Read the rest



Civility Code or Loyalty Oath? *

Jan 17th, 2008 | Filed by

‘The words “inclusiveness and diversity” are used in academia these days virtually as religious incantations.’… Read the rest



Wendy Kaminer on Mandatory Respect *

Jan 17th, 2008 | Filed by

Mindless respect for all points of view is not an element of critical thinking. … Read the rest



Secular Coalition on House Resolution 888 *

Jan 17th, 2008 | Filed by

HR 888 presents such a distorted version of US history that real education can’t possibly be its goal.… Read the rest



Promises that should not be made

Jan 17th, 2008 11:30 am | By

Which includes the well-intentioned version offered by Bergen Community College.

In the full knowledge of the commitment that I am freely willing to undertake as a student, I promise to respect each and every member of the college community without regard to race, creed, political ideology, lifestyle orientation, gender, or social status sparing no effort to preserve the dignity of those I will come in contact with as a member of the college community…I will embrace and celebrate differing perspectives intellectually.

No; sorry; no can do. I can’t possibly promise to respect each and every member of the college community a priori in that way. Civility is one thing, and respect is another. BCC is within its rights to … Read the rest



We’re not talking about some pavement artist

Jan 17th, 2008 10:59 am | By

Salman Rushdie isn’t having it.

“I don’t make my decisions based on 25 goondas at the gate,” says Salman Rushdie tartly…Whether it’s India or England or America, he says, “we cannot allow religious hooligans to place limiting points on thought”. This, he says, is as true about the American religious right as it is about the Sikh mobs in Birmingham that prevented the production of a play. “It’s not specific to any religion or any place,” he adds. “Original thought, original artistic expression is by its very nature questioning, irreverent, iconoclastic…it’s really a decision about what kind of culture we want to be in.”

Quite. And that kind is the kind that allows a wide range of thought, as … Read the rest



Pope Cancels Visit to Rome University *

Jan 16th, 2008 | Filed by

He is accused of despising science and defending the Inquisition’s condemnation of Galileo.… Read the rest



Dinesh D’Souza Wins NH Bad Faith Award *

Jan 16th, 2008 | Filed by

Edges out pope, Archbishop Francisco Chimoio, Westboro Baptist Church. Congrats Dinesh!… Read the rest



Cathleen Schine Reads Katha Pollitt *

Jan 16th, 2008 | Filed by

She is too inquisitive, too enchanted by the unexpected, to be a really proper ideologue.… Read the rest



BBC1 Documentary on Forced Marriage *

Jan 16th, 2008 | Filed by

Jasvinder ran away to escape a forced marriage. Her sister committed suicide by setting herself on fire.… Read the rest



Nigel Warburton on ‘The Grasshopper’ *

Jan 16th, 2008 | Filed by

A brilliant and witty book, superbly written and with serious and original contributions to make. … Read the rest