All entries by this author

London: “blasphemy” event January 28 *

Jan 20th, 2012 | Filed by

Kenan Malik, Austin Dacey, Andrew Copson, Jacob Mchangma, Maryam Namazie speaking informatively and provocatively on this controversial topic.… Read the rest

Posted in Latest News


Rushdie’s absence from Jaipur festival “a stain on India” *

Jan 20th, 2012 | Filed by

Rushdie’s staying away from Jaipur sets a dreadful precedent for its artists who are deemed by religious groups to be producing “blasphemous” material.… Read the rest

Posted in Latest News


For God so loved the 1% *

Jan 19th, 2012 | Filed by

Complaints about economic inequality are inconsistent with the concept of “one nation under God,” but only because the “1%” of an earlier era intended it that way.… Read the rest

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Muslim feminists targeted by Islamists *

Jan 19th, 2012 | Filed by

They face a backlash in the form of persecution, intimidation and death threats.… Read the rest

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Are you now or have you ever been an Islamophobe

Jan 19th, 2012 4:15 pm | By

The UCL Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Society put out a statement today. They’re tired of the whole thing and don’t want to talk about it any more.

What makes a student society is the ability to be open, foster community and – most importantly – encourage critical debate. The principal objective of our Society is to maintain a sceptical view on everything, be it astrology, numerology or theism. I am personally a strong believer of freedom of speech and I believe that it is a vitally important freedom to maintain. Freedom of speech guarantees the space for intellectual discourse, and in that space, people should be able to say what they want, without being afraid of censorship on the grounds

… Read the rest

(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)

Posted in Notes and Comment Blog
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More from the bully boyz

Jan 19th, 2012 11:51 am | By

And then we drop in on the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association UK – which is actually not a “youth association” at all because it addresses members as “Brothers,” so clearly it’s only for male youth. Anyway we drop in on it and find its views on how to get more deference and obedience from people who don’t share its religious commitments.

You should all now be aware that we have been running a campaign over the past week in response to the decision take by Atheist Society of UCL to post a cartoon depicting the Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) and the Holy Prophet Jesus (as) having a beer (God forbid) at a pub frequented by some of the UCL

… Read the rest

(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)

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London 11 February 2012 – defend free expression

Jan 19th, 2012 11:02 am | By

Maryam says HOLD THE DATE:

One Law for All is calling for a rally in defence of free expression and the right to criticise religion on 11 February 2012 in central London from 2-4pm.

We are also calling for simultaneous events and acts in defence of free expression on 11 February in countries world-wide.

The call follows an increased number of attacks on free expression in the UK, including a 17 year old being forced to remove a Jesus and Mo cartoon or face expulsion from his Sixth Form College and demands by the UCL Union that the Atheist society remove a Jesus and Mo cartoon from its Facebook page. It also follows threats of violence, police being called, … Read the rest

(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)

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Cranston florists refuse to deliver roses to Jessica Ahlquist *

Jan 19th, 2012 | Filed by

That’s telling her!… Read the rest

Posted in Latest News


Quackometer on Burzynski in court *

Jan 19th, 2012 | Filed by

According to the Courthouse News Service, an elderly cancer patient is suing Burzynski for allegedly “bilking her of nearly $100,000″.… Read the rest

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History has told us that these things cause offence

Jan 19th, 2012 9:56 am | By

The president of UCL’s Atheist, Secularist and Humanist society, Robbie Yellon, has stepped down to be replaced by former vice president Michael Thor. Yellon quit because of all this mishegas about the Jesus and Mo image.

“Robbie stepped aside because he signed up as president to organise events and run a student society,” said Michael Paynter, secretary for the National Federation of Atheist, Humanist and Secular Student Societies.

“He did not appreciate the stress he would be under when dealing with a controversy like this, so he wanted to make way for someone else.”

A small but no doubt pleasant victory for the shit-stirrers. The BBC goes on to make the shit-stirrer case.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association is continuing

… Read the rest

(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)

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President of UCL ASH society resigns *

Jan 19th, 2012 | Filed by

Adam Walker of Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association: “There is no need to print these things other than to cause offence and history has told us that these things cause offence.”… Read the rest

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Bangladesh: teacher arrested over Taslima Nasreen novel *

Jan 18th, 2012 | Filed by

Yunus Ali, the Head Teacher of KC Technical and Business Management College of Pirojpur, was arrested for having allegedly kept a copy of “Lajja” (“Shame”) in the college library.… Read the rest

Posted in Latest News


Paula Kirby on how atheists find meaning in life *

Jan 18th, 2012 | Filed by

Do we really need a deity to tell us that a life spent curing cancer is more worthwhile than one spent drinking in the gutter?

… Read the rest

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Rhode Island state senator sneers at Jessica Ahlquist *

Jan 18th, 2012 | Filed by

Senator Beth Moura tweets: “Look at ACLU sweetheart’s Twitter acct and rhetoric of her followers. Not good.”… Read the rest

Posted in Latest News


Orlando

Jan 18th, 2012 3:13 pm | By

Oh hey, I’m excited now – Jessica Ahlquist is a speaker at the Moving Secularism Forward conference - which is exciting for Me Me Me because so am I. Yip!

The annual joint conference of CFI and the Council for Secular Humanism takes place March 1–4 at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, FL and includes presentations from Daniel Dennett, Jamila Bey, PZ Myers, Ophelia Benson, David Silverman, Ronald A. Lindsay, and more.

New speaker announced: Jessica Ahlquist! Jessica, our volunteer high school coordinator, just won the case against her public high school’s display of a prayer banner. She’s participating in a Saturday morning session on “Outreach and Advocacy Strategies” moderated by campus organizer Debbie Goddard.

It’s fun having teenage … Read the rest

(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)

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Who gave these kuffar the right to speak?

Jan 18th, 2012 1:10 pm | By

And then there’s this “Urgent – Calling all muslims” at Islamicawakening on Monday -

Brothers, the Queen Mary Athiest Society, sister of the shaytaani UCL Athiest Society (which published pictures of Rasoolullah(saw)) are holding an event today at Queen Mary University of London at 7:00 pm on ‘ Is Shariah in violation of human rights’.. We need your presence. Who gave these kuffar the right to speak?

The kuffar have no right to speak, at a university in London. That’s an interesting thought. Also the comment addresses “Brothers” – so apparently “all muslims” actually means only half of all muslims – and then the “kuffar” who was speaking at Queen Mary that evening is a woman, so her right to … Read the rest

(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)

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Threat threat threat threat

Jan 18th, 2012 12:53 pm | By

On Rhys Morgan’s (currently very busy) Facebook page – a guy called Safwan Ahmed, a graduate of Rhys’s school, posted to say

take that blog down before i fly kick you!

Rhys said no, Ahmed replied

inappropriate and offensive! take it down before you lose the remaining half of your penis.

Someone tried to tell Ahmed that threats are a serious matter and can be reported to the authorities. Ahmed replied

nah no argument cbf wasting time with u. sorry if you were looking for a rebuttal, i will deal with this matter personally.

More back and forth, culminating in Ahmed’s

hahahahha scott you amuse me in the sense that your a fucking sad prick! look at my avatar? id

… Read the rest

(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)

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Another chorus of “god hates atheists”

Jan 18th, 2012 12:21 pm | By

Steve Ahlquist (Jessica’s uncle) just posted several Youtube videos on the Support the Removal of the Cranston High School West Prayer Facebook page, including this gem of majoritarian bullying (which we have seen before – remember that Mississippi high school?) -

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtULr3eKaQA

 

 … Read the rest

(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)

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Jesus and Mo promote peace, tolerance and respect

Jan 18th, 2012 11:39 am | By

A new Jesus and Mo.

With an apt dedication:

Today’s comic is dedicated to Rhys Morgan, Jessica Ahlquist, One Law for All, and Salman Rushdie. Heroes, all.

Of course, author himself belongs in that company.… Read the rest

(This is a syndicated post. Read the original at FreeThoughtBlogs.)

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Independent reports disruption of meeting at Queen Mary *

Jan 18th, 2012 | Filed by

Enquiries by Tower Hamlets police are ongoing.… Read the rest

Posted in Latest News