Good night boys.… 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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
Obscene Desserts on Limits, and Religious Limits 
Apr 27th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Humans don’t know everything, but does that mean religion can help? No.… Read the rest
Creeping Islamization in Turkey
Apr 27th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Most people are more religious these days. They don’t want to eat pork, and they don’t let others produce it either.’… Read the rest
Saudi Blogger Released From Jail
Apr 27th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Fouad al-Farhan had used his website to criticise alleged corruption and call for democratic reforms. … Read the rest
Army Major Threatens Atheist Soldier
Apr 27th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘People like you are going against what the founding fathers, who were Christians, wanted for America!’… Read the rest
Charles Darwin Starts a Blog
Apr 27th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Well there I was minding my own business in the Cafe of the Natural History Museum…’… Read the rest
A Mild Critique of Leon Wieseltier
Apr 26th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Wieseltier has a meandering, conceptually confused, pointless essay in The New Republic…’… Read the rest
Seumas Milne is Slightly Confused
Apr 26th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
He seems to think misogynist homophobic theocrats are right-on and their opponents are wicked.… Read the rest
Sue Blackmore on Papal Social Calls
Apr 26th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Sorry, we’ll be out that day.… Read the rest
Maajid Nawaz Replies to Ziauddin Sardar
Apr 26th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Sardar’s attack on the Quilliam Foundation was ill-informed in a number of ways.… Read the rest
Zawahiri Accuses Iran of 9/11 Lie
Apr 25th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Al-Qaeda did too so carry out the attacks! Iran’s just jealous of Osama! It’s so unfair!… Read the rest
Egyptian Woman Calls for Strike via Facebook
Apr 25th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
It was a great success. Israa Abdel Fattah was arrested. New Facebook group ‘Release Israa’ has 3000 members.… Read the rest
British Muslims for Secular Democracy
Apr 25th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Alibhai-Brown: ‘this excessive culture of obedience is stunting the development of Islamic communities.’… Read the rest
Court Rules Doctors Can Transfuse Infants
Apr 25th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The parents are Jehovah’s Witnesses and refused to give their consent. … Read the rest
Hitchens on Ratzinger
Apr 25th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Reporters who can get off their knees might ask the pope if he is conducting his own foreign policy and, if so, in consultation with whom?… Read the rest
Saudi Women Appeal for Legal Freedoms
Apr 24th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Women forced to live as children, denied basic rights and confined to a suffocating dependency on men.… Read the rest
Perpetual Minors
Apr 24th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
HRW draws on interviews with Saudi women to document the effects of these discriminatory policies.… Read the rest
Saudi: Male Guardianship Policies Harm Women
Apr 24th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘The Saudi government sacrifices basic human rights to maintain male control over women.’… Read the rest
Mormon Fashion Statements
Apr 24th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The dresses are meant to show modesty and conformity.… Read the rest
Why Ex-extremists Rather Than Never-extremists?
Apr 24th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
It’s troubling that former extremists are seen as the only people who know how to deal with extremism.… Read the rest
