‘The first question…about Wieseltier’s review is why he was asked to submit it in the first place.’… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Blow Up Those Guilty Women
Mar 23rd, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia Benson‘The biggest nightclub in central London, no one can put their hands up and say they are innocent – those slags dancing around.’… Read the rest
The Selfish Gene Event
Mar 23rd, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonDennett, Ridley, McEwan, Krebs, Dawkins speak.… Read the rest
Atheists Most Distrusted Minority in US
Mar 23rd, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonNo kidding.… Read the rest
Blame Denmark
Mar 22nd, 2006 11:39 pm | By Ophelia BensonSo the UN rapporteur explains what’s going on and whose fault it is. His report is apparently not available in English yet; this rather right-wing blog translates from the excerpts Politiken and Jyllands-Posten published.
… Read the restFinally, the Danish government’s first reaction – rejecting to take an official position on the nature and publication of the cartoons while referring to Freedom of Speech as well as rejecting to meet with the ambassadors from the Moslem countries – is symptomatic not only for the political trivialisation of Islamophobia but also, due to its consequences, to the central role those politically responsible have for the national extent and the international consequences in the shape of demonstrations and expressions of Islamophobia…Judicially, the Danish government ought
Ill Wind
Mar 22nd, 2006 10:30 pm | By Ophelia BensonBoy, Conservative MPs don’t talk this way around here. Conservative MPs, conservative Representatives; whatever – anyway they don’t talk like that around here. We should be so lucky.
The whole climate in which religion is discussed has chilled notably in the past few months. After the Danish cartoon controversy, the momentum is with those people who use their particular, narrow faith to silence other voices. If you doubt that’s so, just ask why no British newspaper felt that it could reproduce those cartoons. And reflect on why the British and American governments had to apologise for the offence caused. What were governments doing saying sorry for the independent actions of free citizens? Bending before a very ill wind.
Exactly. And … Read the rest
Who Was That Young Man?
Mar 22nd, 2006 7:58 pm | By Ophelia BensonOn 3 September 2002, the first day of the autumn term, the respondent (then aged nearly 14) went to the school with her brother and another young man. They asked to speak to the head teacher, who was not available, and they spoke to the assistant head teacher, Mr Moore. They insisted that the respondent be allowed to attend the school wearing the long garment she had on that day, which was a long coat-like garment known as a jilbab. They talked of human rights and legal proceedings. Mr Moore felt that their approach was unreasonable and he felt threatened…The young men said they were not prepared to compromise over this issue.
Who was … Read the rest
Heroism
Mar 22nd, 2006 7:53 pm | By Ophelia BensonI’ve noticed something interesting. Ever read any Deborah Tannen? Differences in the way women and men use language? Women say ‘sorry’ a lot more than men do, that kind of thing? Somewhat worrying, a tad too similar to the Gilligan-Harding school of feminism which is too inclined to characterize women as big soppy soft-headed damp-palmed lachrymose huggy squishy melty getOFFme fools – but interesting all the same, and she is better at both gathering data and thinking about the data once she’s gathered. Anyway – differences in the way men and women use language. I think I’ve noticed a new one (new in the sense that I hadn’t noticed it before, though Tannen probably has). Here is my theory. [protracted … Read the rest
Excerpts From Rapporteur’s Criticism of Denmark
Mar 22nd, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonDiéne talks a lot of sinister nonsense.… Read the rest
UN Rapporteur Warns Racism is on the Rise
Mar 22nd, 2006 | Filed by Ophelia BensonProphet 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 BensonBrother 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 BensonLaila 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 BensonMaryam 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 BensonLaw 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 BensonThe 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 BensonReligious riots intensified last month after archbishop said Muslims had no ‘monopoly on violence’.… Read the rest