Obvious distinction between what is offensive and what should be illegal is being ignored.
Category: Latest News
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Inevitably links go out of date.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.
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How Moral Disengagement Works
You have to convince people of the sanctity of the greater cause.
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Solidarity in the Conversation of Humankind
Extract from Norm Geras’s book on people who took risks to save Jews in Nazi-occupied Europe.
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It’s Nearly Darwin Day
Robert Stephens expects about 600 celebrations this year, three times more than last year.
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Student Editor Suspended for Printing Cartoon
Everyone quoted talks stupid contradictory authoritarian crap.
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J-P Rejected Jesus Cartoons Three Years Ago
‘I think that they will provoke an outcry. Therefore, I will not use them.’ Oops.
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Oh So That’s What the Extra Cartoons Were For
Danish Muslim leaders insisted they had been trying to promote a ‘dialogue of civilisations.’
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Sonia Mikich Feels Offended
Jews see themselves represented as cannibals and pigs, Western women as decadent sluts.
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Julian Baggini on the Science of Religion
Is religion a natural phenomenon, like photosynthesis, evolution or belly-button fluff?
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Dress Worn by Non-believers is ‘Not Suitable’
Begum refused to attend school because she had to wear the same uniform as ‘disbelieving women.’
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The Orientalists and their Enemies
Irwin argues that orientalism is what it claims to be – the study of eastern languages, history, culture.
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Secularists Don’t Understand Depth of Feeling
Price for a bit of journalism is not worth it because there are people who will feel genuinely offended.
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MPs in Kano, Nigeria Burn Denmark’s Flag
Ado Saleh reports c. 200 people, including the 40 state parliamentarians, attended flag burning.
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Turkish Journalists on Trial for Insulting Judiciary
Wrote articles criticising court decision to ban conference on killing of Armenians 1915-1917.
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Peacekeepers and Protesters Exchange Fire
Second day of violent cartoon demonstrations in Afghanistan.
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Iranian Paper Holds Contest for Holocaust Cartoons
Because cartoons about genocide are the same as cartoons about one 1400-year-old guy.
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Research Group Finds New Species in Indonesia
Butterflies, frogs, palms, giant rhododendron, honeyeater bird, lost bird of paradise.
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Johann Hari’s Not Okay, You’re Not Okay
His friends have begun to offer him inspirational, upbeat psychobabble.
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Hitchens on Babyish Tantrums
‘Faith belongs to the spoiled and selfish childhood of our species.’
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Music ‘Produced By and For Social Elites’
It is snobbish and improbable to assume that complex art is appreciated only by the upper class.