Just as we call sex without consent ‘rape’, circumcision without consent or reasonable justification should be called ‘mutilation’.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Kolkata man beheads his sister
Dec 8th, 2012 | Filed by Ophelia BensonHe told police he had killed his sister for “running off with a lover and dishonouring the family”, say sources.… Read the rest
Pimping its girls
Dec 7th, 2012 5:00 pm | By Ophelia BensonIt’s not just Ireland, it’s not just Saudi Arabia, it’s not just Pakistan. It’s New York City, too. The New York Times sets the scene.
… Read the restThe abuse began when the girl was 12 years old, prosecutors in State Supreme Court in Brooklyn said on Monday. She was sent to a prominent man in her ultra-Orthodox Jewish community for counseling, and prosecutors said the man sexually molested her over the next three years.
But lawyers defending the man, Nechemya Weberman, 54, of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, told a far different story during the opening arguments of his trial. The girl, a defense lawyer told the jury, had hatched the sordid tale of abuse as an act of revenge against Mr. Weberman
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Woman prevents her son from getting cancer treatment
Dec 7th, 2012 | Filed by Ophelia Benson“She wants to work with [the doctors] but the medical profession want to do it all their way,” says her mother.… Read the rest
So you’re not allowed to do that?
Dec 7th, 2012 1:02 pm | By Ophelia BensonIs cyberstalking a thing? Yes, cyberstalking is a thing. Even in Polk County, Florida, it’s a thing.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd does not take internet bullying of its residents lightly, even if it involves EllenBeth Wachs, the former Vice-President and Legal Affairs Coordinator for Atheists of Florida and current President of Humanists of Florida Association, who recently asked the sheriff to investigate a relentless case of cyberstalking aimed against her.
Judd assigned a Special Investigations detective to investigate a North Carolina man who has, for almost two years, employed an arsenal of social media such as Facebook, Youtube, Google+ and Twitter, to conduct a relentless campaign to harass and abuse Wachs.
But you’re allowed to do that, aren’t … Read the rest
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Polk County Sheriff Investigating Cyberstalker of Atheist Activist
Dec 7th, 2012 | By John KiefferLakeland, Fla. – Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd does not take internet bullying of its residents lightly, even if it involves EllenBeth Wachs, the former Vice-President and Legal Affairs Coordinator for Atheists of Florida and current President of Humanists of Florida Association, who recently asked the sheriff to investigate a relentless case of cyberstalking aimed against her.
Judd assigned a Special Investigations detective to investigate a North Carolina man who has, for almost two years, employed an arsenal of social media such as Facebook, Youtube, Google+ and Twitter, to conduct a relentless campaign to harass and abuse Wachs.
According to Florida statutes the term “cyberstalk” means “to engage in a course of conduct to communicate, or to cause to be … Read the rest
Martin Wagner and Tim Minchin sum it up
Dec 7th, 2012 11:18 am | By Ophelia BensonMartin comments on Chris Clarke’s post:
… Read the restThese last two threads have put me in mind of Tim Minchin’s lovely “Pope Song,” which includes the lyrics…
If you cover for another motherfucker who’s a kiddie fucker Fuck you you’re no better then the mother fucking rapist
…and then I wonder how many of these dudes showing up here to complain that it’s so unfair to draw moral equivalency between everyday, blogging, comment-trolling, rape-threat-making-on-Reddit misogynists and mass-murdering-IRL misogynists are huge fans of that song.
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Oh that’s adorable
Dec 7th, 2012 10:09 am | By Ophelia BensonVia @EverydaySexism via @Cheesyhel – a cheery little birthday card for a girl turning 13 -
Update – the good news is that it’s apparently old stock. The bad news is that Cheesyhel just saw it in a local newsagents in her town.
Update 2 -
The image is a card, with “You’re 13 today!” at the top and a cartoon picture of a girl beaming with surprise and pleasure at a box with a ring in it. In smaller writing that winds down the page it says
If you had a rich boyfriend
he’d give you diamonds and rubies
Well maybe next year you will -
when you’ve bigger boobies!… Read the rest
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Because misogyny makes nothing happen
Dec 6th, 2012 4:58 pm | By Ophelia BensonAnd speaking of “dissent” and “disagreement” and “people who do not share your opinion” – speaking of calling sustained frothing hatemongering “dissent” and “disagreement” and “people who do not share your opinion” – that’s all over a thread of PZ’s on the Montreal Massacre.
PZ made the point that the Montreal Massacre was a very overt example of misogyny. He made the related point that misogyny has consequences. Misogynists came along at a dead run to protest the outrage of saying that misogyny has consequences. There was a lot of bullshit about “dissent” and “disagreement” and “people who do not share your opinion” as cozy ways of describing sustained frothing misogyny. From Al Stefanelli for instance…
… Read the restAre
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
An inspirational moment
Dec 6th, 2012 4:20 pm | By Ophelia BensonThe Family Research Council thinks Uganda’s commitment to hatred of gays is just the best thing ever.
… Read the restSpeaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has taken up the challenge of national repentance by promising passage of the “Kill the Gays” legislation as a “Christmas gift”to the people of Uganda.
Naturally, Christian conservative leaders in the U.S. are thrilled with what FRC has called an “inspirational moment for the [Ugandan] nation.” As Alvin McEwen pointed out, FRC President Tony Perkins tweeted a big, warm hug to President Museveni for “leading his nation in repentance” and thus helping to create a “nation prospered by God.” But Perkins’ tweet was an hors d’oeuvre for the main course, a November 26 email alert
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Shut up and obey
Dec 6th, 2012 9:48 am | By Ophelia BensonIn writing that post I turned up this item from The Catholic Phoenix a couple of years ago. It’s special.
Denys Powlett-Jones is commenting on the leaking of the bishop’s infamous letter to Catholic Healthcare West by the Arizona Republic.
… Read the restIt is also no surprise that it is C(INO)HW who has decided to fight this one out in the media, and not the Bishop. Phoenix Catholics already know that our shepherd is not in the business of publicly correcting the dissent, disobedience, and scandal that are as much a part of the Church in Phoenix as they were of the Church of Corinth in St Paul’s day. Our Man in the Mitre is a vigilant shepherd, but he always
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Fight fiercely, bishops
Dec 6th, 2012 9:27 am | By Ophelia BensonOh so that’s what interfaith is for – fighting secularization! There I was half-convinced it was for dialogue and bridge-building and working together to do things. Ok no I wasn’t, I wasn’t even quarter-convinced, but I was at least aware that that was the advertising slogan. But it appears that not everyone got the memo.
Well of course not. Lots of faith people don’t want secularism, after all – they want their particular dogma imposed on everyone else. And if there’s anybody who not only wants that but has the power to make it happen, it’s the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. The National Catholic Register was there.
… Read the restWASHINGTON — Participants at a recent interfaith conference in the nation’s capital
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Friends in Ottawa
Dec 5th, 2012 5:26 pm | By Ophelia BensonI mentioned meeting Mark Fournier at Eschaton. (There are surprisingly many B&W readers-and-commenters in Ottawa.) Step in the time machine and go back to 2006, and Richard Swinburne…
Remember this of Swinburne’s? The interjection is mine.
… Read the restTheodicy provides good explanations of why God sometimes — for some or all of the short period of our earthly lives — allows us to suffer pain and disability.
Good? Good explanations? Good in what sense?
Although intrinsically bad states, these difficult times often serve good purposes for the sufferers and for others. My suffering provides me with the opportunity to show courage and patience. It provides you with the opportunity to show sympathy and to help alleviate my suffering. And it provides society
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
No skeptics on the jury, thanks
Dec 5th, 2012 4:20 pm | By Ophelia BensonNeil deGrasse Tyson did a couple of alarming and disheartening tweets just now -
Neil deGrasse Tyson
@neiltysonDone with Jury Duty. I said I could not convict a person solely on eyewitness testimony. They sent me home. I’m now 0 for 4.
After hearing my skepticism of eyewitness testimony, six other jury candidates promptly agreed. And they got sent home too.
Oyyyyyyyyyy.
Eyewitness testimony is so crappy – so very unreliable and yet so trusted.
TV trains everyone to think it’s infallible, as if there were a video camera in our brains and all we have to do is roll the tape. We’re bad at noticing stuff even when it’s right in front of us, and then … Read the rest
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Review the arrangements
Dec 5th, 2012 3:13 pm | By Ophelia BensonCatching up on the news about Savita Halappanavar…
They’ve noticed that what happened to her probably happens to other women. (Ya think?)
The Health Information and Quality Authority may have to establish a further investigation into how pregnant women who are getting increasingly ill are cared for in Irish hospitals, following its inquiry into the death of Savita Halappanavar.
The authority, which this afternoon published the terms of reference for its investigation into the death of the 31 year-old pregnant woman at Galway University Hospital last month, said if it emerged that there may be “serious risks” to any other woman in a similar situation in the future, it may recommend “further investigation or ..a new [one] “.
Quite. It … Read the rest
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
No husband no speak
Dec 5th, 2012 11:13 am | By Ophelia BensonJesus and Mo and Moses are on the story.
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Bristol University’s Christian Union is being investigated
Dec 5th, 2012 | Filed by Ophelia Benson“UBU has an equality policy which explains that we prohibit discrimination on grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership” and more.… Read the rest
Hank pictures Eschaton
Dec 4th, 2012 5:37 pm | By Ophelia BensonHank Fox took a bunch of nice photos at Eschaton. There’s Genie Scott, PZ, Larry Moran – and there’s Eric.
Eric and I had the opportunity for several long talks. He’s a compadre.
There is Dorothy Grasett. Dorothy gave me a beautiful wooden box her brother made, as a present. It’s here on the desk beside me.
That’s Saturday evening, before or after PZ’s talk.
And there’s one of me squirming.
Hank calls it relaxing, but it’s squirming. I always squirm. That’s Heina up in the right corner.
Thanks to Hank for letting me re-post a few. Go over there to see them all.… Read the rest
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Daughters and fathers
Dec 4th, 2012 2:23 pm | By Ophelia BensonIt’s a literary trope, the father who disowns or betrays a daughter. I don’t say that to make light of it, but on the contrary, to point out the way it has haunted the human imagination, which underlines how horrible it is. (This applies to all combinations of parents and children, but fathers and daughters gets noticed less than fathers and sons.)
Agamemnon, you know. He sacrificed Iphigenia – which is to say, he killed her on an “altar” – to get a wind when the attack on Troy was becalmed. Not very fatherly, as one of the Mitfords might have put it. Lucretius used it as the occasion for his famous comment, tantum religio potuit suadere malorum – religion … Read the rest
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Lear in South Carolina
Dec 4th, 2012 11:54 am | By Ophelia BensonAnd speaking of horribly unenlightened views, there is also Ashley Miller’s father, who has decided to stop talking to her, to disown her, to cut her off, to make her an undaughter, because her boyfriend is unwhite.
I can’t get my head around it. Imagine caring more about your racism than you care about your daughter! Imagine giving up a daughter for the sake of racism. What an incredibly bad bargain. What a pathetic, wrong-way-around exchange.
… Read the restI suppose I am thankful that he waited until the day after Thanksgiving to do it. Not that he told me, he made my stepmother his proxy as he was too angry to speak to me directly. I have been disowned for loving
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)