Diéne talks a lot of sinister nonsense.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
UN Rapporteur Warns Racism is on the Rise 
Mar 22nd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Prophet cartoons illustrate the emergence of racist and xenophobic currents in everyday life.… Read the rest
The Begum Judgment in Full
Mar 22nd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Brother and ‘another young man’ went to the school and spoke to assistant head, who felt threatened.… Read the rest
No Upside-down Hobbesian Contract
Mar 22nd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘We are not consumers who buy our security and we are not living in Hobbes’s imaginary state of terror.’… Read the rest
Swedish Foreign Minister Quits Over Cartoon Fuss
Mar 22nd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Laila Freivalds resigned after allegations she shut down far-right website for soliciting new caricatures. … Read the rest
Climate for Discussing Religion Has Chilled
Mar 22nd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘The momentum is with those people who use their particular, narrow faith to silence other voices.’… Read the rest
Annual Peter Tatchell Human Rights Fund Meeting
Mar 22nd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Maryam Namazie asks how can it be Islamophobic to say people should be able to live a 21st century life?… Read the rest
Lords Overturn School Jilbab Ruling
Mar 22nd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Law lords verturned a court ruling that Begum’s human rights were violated.… Read the rest
Eta Declares Permanent Ceasefire
Mar 22nd, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The ceasefire will take effect on Friday, the statement said. … Read the rest
Lamentable Disrespect and Raving Lunacy
Mar 21st, 2006 11:07 pm | By Ophelia BensonCharles Taylor joins the flock.
“The publishing of these caricatures shows a lamentable disrespect,” said Taylor, who elaborated on his views to an audience of nearly 200 people at an event organized by the Heinrich Boell Foundation. “Freedom of speech means you can’t outlaw the printing of these cartoons,” acknowledged Taylor, “but in order to get through this difficult time, we need an informal code where that kind of gratuitous insult can not take place.”
Well doesn’t that sound just like Jack Straw and Sean McCormack and Franco Frattini and the pope and Kofi Annan and that student union spokeswoman at the U of Cardiff – doesn’t that sound just like all of them saying No you may not … Read the rest
There is a Limit
Mar 21st, 2006 10:47 pm | By Ophelia BensonI admire freedom as much as the next person, but we all know there are limits, right? There is such a thing as too much. Liberty does not mean license. There are some things no one can be free to do. Cough at the opera, spit in the soup, wear black in summer, and – one other thing.
… Read the restA man could be sentenced to death after being charged with converting from Islam to Christianity, a crime under Afghanistan’s shariah laws, a judge said yesterday…The accused was charged with rejecting Islam…”We are not against any particular religion in the world. But in Afghanistan, this sort of thing is against the law,” the judge said. “It is an attack on Islam.”
Revenge Attacks Killed 20 Nigerian Muslims
Mar 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Religious riots intensified last month after archbishop said Muslims had no ‘monopoly on violence’.… Read the rest
Archbish Calls Creationism a Category Mistake
Mar 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Criticised Archbish Akinola in Nigeria for warning that Xians could retaliate against Muslims.… Read the rest
Francis Gilbert on Yob Culture
Mar 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
His previous books were accounts of the anarchic nightmare that is modern British schooling.… Read the rest
Charles Taylor on Cartoons, ‘Lamentable Disrespect’
Mar 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘[W]e need an informal code where that kind of gratuitous insult can not take place.’… Read the rest
Republicans Annoyed With Catholic Church
Mar 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Scold Catholic bishops ‘for invoking God when arguing for a blanket amnesty’ for illegal immigrants.… Read the rest
Possible Death Penalty for Leaving Islam
Mar 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘We are Muslims and becoming a Christian is against our laws. He must get the death penalty.’… Read the rest
Al-Afif al-Akhdar’s Life is in Danger
Mar 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Fighter for secularism and democracy works to expose dangers of Islamic fundamentalism.… Read the rest
Festival Refuses to Cancel ‘Blasphemous’ Show
Mar 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Archbishop of Toledo rails, government frets about offending Catholic sensibilities, show goes to Rome next.… Read the rest
Toda Women Rejecting Patriarchal Society
Mar 21st, 2006 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘The girls want to study. They want to achieve something…The girls want a different life.’… Read the rest
