Five million people have died in Congo since 1998; the population of Norway. Would we notice if Norway vanished?… Read the rest
Welcome to our archive of news stories relevant to the project of fighting fashionable nonsense. The stories are drawn from the electronic pages of the world’s media. On this page, you’ll find links to those stories that have been featured on Butterflies and Wheels during the current year. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find links to separate archives of stories from previous years.
We’re always pleased to hear about news stories that you think should be featured on Butterflies and Wheels. Just send an email here, if you want to point one out to us.
A note about links
Inevitably links go out of date. We suggest, therefore, that you make hard-copies of the stories that particularly interest you.
Michael Dickinson Cleared by Istanbul Court 
Sep 25th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Artist was cleared after a judge decided the controversial collage of Tayyip Erdogan was art and not insulting.… Read the rest
Islamist Death Squads Executing Gays
Sep 25th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Ali al-Sistani issued a fatwa urging the killing of lesbians and gays in the ‘most severe way possible.’… Read the rest
Critic to Undergo ‘Religious Rehabilitation’
Sep 25th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Malaysia Today editor was detained for writing ‘malicious and seditious’ articles that ‘maligned Islam.’… Read the rest
Steven Weinberg on Living Without God
Sep 24th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
We have not observed anything that seems to require supernatural intervention for its explanation.… Read the rest
Malaysia: Government Critic Detained
Sep 24th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Raja Petra, himself a Muslim, was accused of insulting Islam through an article on the Malaysia Today website.… Read the rest
IHEU Speaks Out on OIC Censorship at UN
Sep 24th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
IHEU has been beating on this door for the past five years; now EU, Belgium, Denmark have joined in.… Read the rest
IHEU-CFI Joint Statement Defends Women’s Rights
Sep 24th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
No State should be permitted to hide behind tradition, culture or religion to justify any abuse of women’s rights. … Read the rest
Catholic School Bans HPV Vaccination
Sep 24th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Might cause the girls to hump like weasels. Or get headaches, or something.… Read the rest
Inside the Vaccine-and-autism Panic
Sep 23rd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Offit deconstructs the anti-vaccine movement as one driven by bad science, litigious greed, hype and ego.… Read the rest
Miguel Servetus Haunts Geneva
Sep 23rd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Existing instruments protect believers against incitement. To go further would be to protect the contents of belief itself.… Read the rest
Roy Brown Reads CFI-IHEU Statement
Sep 23rd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Mr President, criticism of Islam, or of any other religion, is not racism: it is a human right.… Read the rest
New Team Attacks Religious Privilege at UN
Sep 23rd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Roy Brown and David Littman now have company as Austin Dacey and Hugo Estrella join the fight.… Read the rest
Naser Khader Addresses UN HRC
Sep 23rd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The Danish MP rejects protecting God’s rights before we protect human rights.… Read the rest
Obama Chats With Bartlet
Sep 23rd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘I won’t lie to you, being fictional was a big advantage.’… Read the rest
Paul Krugman on Cash for Trash
Sep 23rd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Paulson wants a plan with dictatorial power and no strings. Slow down there, cowboy.… Read the rest
Jesus is More Humble Than Mo
Sep 22nd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
No, Mo is more humble than Jesus. No, Jesus is – oh never mind.… Read the rest
Debate on ‘Defamation of Religions’ at the UN
Sep 22nd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
France and then Belgium came out strongly, saying that people have rights, religions do not.… Read the rest
Men With Sexist Views Make More Money
Sep 22nd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Perhaps because domineering men are likely to be promoted.… Read the rest
FGM Common in Egypt Despite Ban
Sep 22nd, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Parents said they disobeyed the law to comply with religious beliefs and curb daughters’ sexual drive.… Read the rest
