Announcing the cancellation, an emotional Sanjoy Roy said: “We have been pushed to the wall…Earlier today, a number of organisations came to us and threatened violence.”… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Islamist misogyny on the rise in the Maldives 
Jan 24th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Shadiya Ibrahim, a long-time campaigner for women’s rights, said the society was growing steadily more oppressive of women.… Read the rest
Bruce Gorton on bad times for free expression
Jan 24th, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
On the 11 of February, One Law for All is arranging a rally to stand up against this. Are you prepared to stand up and say “We give this kuffar the right to speak”?… Read the rest
LSE Students’ Union issues statement on ASH
Jan 23rd, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“The offensive nature of the content on the Facebook page is not in accordance with our values of tolerance, diversity, and respect for all students.”… Read the rest
Nigeria: police find bomb-filled cars in Kano
Jan 23rd, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Police said they found cars and vans filled with explosives in Kano three days after Boko Haram carried out a deadly attack there.… Read the rest
Seeing what you want to see
Jan 23rd, 2012 4:03 pm | By Ophelia BensonKaren Armstrong tells us all, not for the first time, how swell Islam is.
First, she tells us the problem. It’s that “western people” think Islam is “a violent and intolerant faith” but this is all wrong. Couldn’t be more wrong. Very very wrong. It’s the hajj what does it, you see. Religion is like ice skating, you learn it by doing it, so the hajj teaches people to do all the good things.
The ancient rituals of the hajj, which Arabs performed for centuries before Islam, have helped pilgrims to form habits of heart and mind that – pace the western stereotype – are non-violent and inclusive.
Which is why everywhere we look, or nearly everywhere, that’s what … Read the rest
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
That’s how it’s done
Jan 23rd, 2012 3:37 pm | By Ophelia BensonThere was a time when Lego knew how to market to girls without treating them like idiots or aspiring princesses.
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Too much conflation of being offended and being intimidated
Jan 23rd, 2012 12:27 pm | By Ophelia BensonThe LSE Student Union Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Society has told the LSE Student Union to take a flying jump. I should think so too.
… Read the restThere are no reasonable grounds for the LSESU’s instruction because we are in no way violating their policies or byelaws. The cartoons on our Facebook page criticise religion in a satirical way and we totally reject any claim that their publications could constitute any sort of harassment or intimidation of Muslims or Christians.
That there was no deliberate intention to offend is illustrated by the fact that the cartoons were posted only on the LSESU ASH page and not in other spaces. But even if some people are offended, offence is not a sufficient
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Skeptic lawyer on the two sorts of limits to law
Jan 23rd, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The first concerns what one ought to do (with law). The second concerns what it is possible to do (with law). Principled v means-end.… Read the rest
Karen Armstrong says how great Islam is
Jan 23rd, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“The ancient rituals of the hajj…have helped pilgrims to form habits of heart and mind that – pace the western stereotype – are non-violent and inclusive.”… Read the rest
More on arrest of Indonesian atheist
Jan 23rd, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Official said that he had yet to decide whether Alexander would be dismissed from his post. “I told him that there was no place in this country for his beliefs,” he said.… Read the rest
Nick Cohen on how freedom goes
Jan 22nd, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The people the liberal mainstream lets down are liberal Muslims and ex-Muslims who need help in their fight against theocratic oppression.… Read the rest
And there are more other critics of the word “Islamophobia”
Jan 22nd, 2012 12:56 pm | By Ophelia BensonThere’s Kenan Malik. I trust there won’t be too much sensitive frowning over the possibility that Kenan Malik is being obtuse about bigotry toward Muslims or immigrants or other races.
… Read the restTen years ago no one had heard of Islamophobia. Now everyone from Muslim leaders to anti-racist activists to government ministers want to convince us that Britain is in the grip of an irrational hatred of Islam – a hatred that, they claim, leads to institutionalised harassment, physical attacks, social discrimination and political alienation…
But does Islamophobia really exist? Or is the hatred and abuse of Muslims being exaggerated to suit politicians’ needs and silence the critics of Islam? The trouble with Islamophobia is that it is an irrational concept.
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Joan Smith on a dreadful week for free speech
Jan 22nd, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Why hasn’t there been a furore about all these incidents? Why aren’t MPs and ministers insisting on the vital role of free speech?… Read the rest
There are other critics of the word “Islamophobia”
Jan 21st, 2012 4:44 pm | By Ophelia BensonThere was that statement by 12 writers in Charlie Hebdo in 2006 for instance. It includes this:
… Read the restIslamism is a reactionary ideology that kills equality, freedom and secularism wherever it is present.
Its victory can only lead to a world of injustice and domination: men over women, fundamentalists over others.
On the contrary, we must ensure access to universal rights for the oppressed or those discriminated against.
We reject the “cultural relativism” which implies an acceptance that men and women of Muslim culture are deprived of the right to equality, freedom and secularism in the name of the respect for certain cultures and traditions.
We refuse to renounce our critical spirit out of fear of being accused of “Islamophobia”, a
(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)
Telegraph obit of Frank Cioffi
Jan 21st, 2012 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Later critics of Freud such as Frederick Crews, Allen Esterson and Malcolm Macmillan always acknowledged their debt to Cioffi, and Freud’s frequent departures from truthfulness are now conceded by even ardent admirers.… Read the rest
