Not only does science know why the tsunami happened, it can give precious hours of warning.… Read the rest
All entries by this author
Southall Black Sisters Support Behzti
Dec 31st, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘As Asian women of Sikh, Muslim and Hindu backgrounds, we have been struggling for many years against attempts to silence our voices’… Read the rest
How Could a Benevolent Omnipotent God Do This?
Dec 31st, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
A reminder from god that he created the world and can destroy the world. … Read the rest
A Benevolent God? Not Very Plausible…
Dec 31st, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Perhaps compassion is the only meaning to be found.… Read the rest
Angry Fathers Resort to Intimidation of Court Staff
Dec 31st, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Threats; publication of names; rotten meat and maggots sent to office.… Read the rest
Irfan Khawaja on the Madrasacracy in Pakistan
Dec 30th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Why haven’t US journalists looked into reports of sex abuse in madrasas?… Read the rest
Bad Faith Words
Dec 30th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
And other ways to hide nonsense or vacuity.… Read the rest
Hajieh Esmailvand Stoning on Hold?
Dec 30th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
That was the report on December 24…… Read the rest
German MEPs Demonstrate Against Stoning
Dec 30th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Many Iranian exiles joined demonstration outside Iranian embassy in Berlin.… Read the rest
Somewhere, Over the Rainbow
Dec 29th, 2004 7:46 pm | By Ophelia BensonI’ve been visiting the Other Side. Well not so much visiting it, I guess, as reading about it. Or researching it, you could call it. Sylvia Browne calls it researching, so I don’t see why I shouldn’t.
And never mind about shooting fish in barrels. Not that you would, most of you, but some of you would and do. Some of you seem to think that the targets are too easy and that there’s no reason to shoot at them. Well the targets are easy all right, I’ll give you that, but there is every reason to shoot at them. I’ll show you why.
… Read the restSo why this current interest and acceptance of the absolute truth that yes, there are Angels
The Guardian on Susan Sontag
Dec 29th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘She had a deeply solitary and precocious childhood.’… Read the rest
Oh But Indeed There is a Right to Offend
Dec 29th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Warped version of ‘tolerance’ surrounds belief with hands-off halo of sanctity.… Read the rest
Julian Baggini Does a Mr Manners
Dec 29th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Be considerate, be quiet, close mouth when chewing, pipe down on mobile.… Read the rest
Philip Stott on the Disaster
Dec 29th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Geology and poverty meet on Asian coasts; failing governments don’t do the necessary.… Read the rest
Why Thai Officials Did Not Warn of Tsunami
Dec 29th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
High tourist season, hotels full, no way to tell direction of waves.… Read the rest
Laurie Taylor on Dictionary of FN
Dec 29th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Too many cheap shots, but some funny bits too. (Cheap? Moi?)… Read the rest
Whose Community, Again?
Dec 28th, 2004 8:27 pm | By Ophelia BensonExactly. How very seldom this kind of thing gets pointed out:
Second, the promotion of religion in public life, especially under New Labour, has not only legitimised “rotten” multiculturalism – where culture has long given way to religion, particularly if it is capable of delivering ethnic minority votes. It has also created space in institutional forums that has been exploited by communities such as the Sikhs. While the sentiments of inter-religious dialogues are noble, the result is often to stifle dissent within religions and essentialise particular traditions as representing the Sikh, Muslim, Christian or Hindu way. In a highly plural and secular society, nothing could be further from the truth.
Just exactly so. All this pious invocation of ‘community’ and … Read the rest
NY Times Retrospective on Sontag
Dec 28th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Links to reviews, interviews, profiles.… Read the rest
Sontag in the New York Times
Dec 28th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Arthur Danto: ‘she dealt as a literary and philosophical intellectual with the deep problems of human life in our times.’… Read the rest
Susan Sontag in the Times
Dec 28th, 2004 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Stanley Aronowitz called her ‘the critic as star’; Sontag was ambivalent about this status.… Read the rest