If a parent objects to what a child is being taught in science class, the teaching is religious and unconstitutional.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf on ‘Fresh Air’ 
Apr 10th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The president of Liberia talks to Terry Gross.… Read the rest
Transcending Madeleine Bunting
Apr 10th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Bunting argues all systems of thought rely on myth. Not all of them do. One in particular: thinking.… Read the rest
Blair Talks of ‘His Spiritual Side’
Apr 10th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
He believes that expanding faith school provision helped to foster inter-faith relations.… Read the rest
Tony Blair Should Shut Up About the Church
Apr 10th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Given his commitment to female equality, what does he really think of a church that bans women priests?… Read the rest
Ben Goldacre’s Missing Chapter on Matthias Rath
Apr 9th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
How Rath and Mbeki combined to block treatment by anti-retroviral drugs in South Africa.… Read the rest
Taj Hargey Takes on the ‘Muslim McCarthyists’
Apr 9th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Progressives like me are described as heretics in order to ruin our credibility.’… Read the rest
Telling the Truth About the Armenian Genocide
Apr 9th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view, but a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence.’… Read the rest
Reading Ayaan Hirsi Ali in Birmingham
Apr 9th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
“Imams and Mullahs ignore our plight, and the community labels women ‘mad’ or ‘heretic’ or ‘loose’ when they stand up for their rights.”… Read the rest
Rasmussen Apologizes – Not
Apr 9th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
This is one time when ‘I’m sorry you were upset’ is the right response.… Read the rest
Normblog on Moral Judgment as Intuition
Apr 9th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
At the level of intuition and emotion people often have competing impulses.… Read the rest
HRW: Rescind ‘Provider Conscience’ Rule
Apr 8th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Freedom of conscience should not be used to trample on others’ rights to life and health.… Read the rest
Yeshiva Student Strips in Store to Protest…Uh…
Apr 8th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Guy gets naked to protest sale of foods Jewish law prohibits on Passover. It doesn’t work.… Read the rest
Blair Tuts at Vatican Policy on Gays
Apr 8th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
So why did he convert?… Read the rest
The Right to ‘Defame’ Religions
Apr 8th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
An insidious blurring of categories compared to the more rigorous language of the UDHR.… Read the rest
Bush’s Lawless Interior Department
Apr 8th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Of all the corruption of the Bush years, none is more shocking than the scandals and cronyism at Interior.… Read the rest
Knowing what words mean
Apr 7th, 2009 4:00 pm | By Ophelia BensonDavid Thompson did a post telling me off for saying ‘pussy’ is a sexist epithet. He also, very oddly, emailed me to tell me about the post, as if I would be pleased and interested. This is odd because as far as I’m concerned we’ve been on non-speakers since another post he did last July, a rather unfunny one about jokes about women. I was alienated because (having been as it were invited) I commented on that post, somewhat acidly, and was rewarded with three pages worth of sexist garbage. Want a sample? (Relevant, your honour; goes to the question of sexism.)
“Obviously Ophelia is on her period. Now have a seat and let a big, strong man … Read the rest
Clerics Ban Women Dancers From Festival
Apr 7th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Organisers of the festival in Sindh have had to cut the 10-day festival to 3 days because of the threats. … Read the rest
Vermont Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage
Apr 7th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The Vermont Legislature overrode Gov. Jim Douglas’s veto of a bill allowing gay couples to marry… Read the rest
Caspar Melville Replies to Madeleine Bunting
Apr 7th, 2009 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
What does she add in her latest strike against the godless heathens? Not much.… Read the rest
