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Columns, Devil's Advocate, Politics - Thursday, August 19, 2010 23:50 - 6 Comments
Devil’s Advocate: On the right to offend
Is there a right not to be offended? If so, what about the right to offend? In particular, are some Muslims simply conflating being justifiably criticised with being illegally abused? Omer Ali, Ceasefire's very own Devil's Advocate, ruminates on the matter...
Columns, Diary of a Domestic Extremist - Thursday, August 19, 2010 11:38 - 10 Comments
Diary of a Domestic Extremist – The EDL: Street fighting for the establishment
The last 18 months has seen the meteroic rise of the EDL. In two weeks, they are planning to organise a protest in Bradford, their 'Big One'. In his new piece, Mikhail Goldman provides a powerful analysis of the socio-political reasons behind the popularity of the EDL and provides a few pointers as to how the response to it should be; puncturing, in the process, a number of myths and illusions that are harboured by both EDL supporters and their opponents.
Arts & Culture, Theatre - Thursday, August 19, 2010 0:04 - 0 Comments
Theatre: ‘The Duchess of Malfi’
"After seeing a man strangle a woman with a telephone cord he then dragged me into a room, locked the door behind us, he then sat me in a chair, took off my mask and stared into my face. I had actually paid for this experience, and this is exactly the kind of thing I was hoping would happen." Catherine Oshea reviews the 'Duchess of Malfi', the latest offering in 'immersive' theatre production
Politics, Stateside - Wednesday, August 18, 2010 11:09 - 1 Comment
STATESIDE – BDS campaign: hopes and disappointments at UC Berkeley
In March, the student body of the University of California at Berkeley voted in favour of a bill that advocated divestment from companies that helped and benefited from Israeli occupation and human rights abuses. The vote was supported by a wide and diverse collection of groups and individuals but strongly criticized by pro-Israel activists and, over the following weeks, has led to a series of further votes and counter votes. Ceasefire US correspondent and BDS activist Humza Tahir reports.
Columns, Modern Times - Tuesday, August 17, 2010 11:02 - 14 Comments
Modern Times: Confessions of an ex-racist
Are you a racist? no? what makes you so sure? to put it differently, what would you do if you discovered that your attitudes to other people contained, in fact, elements of racism? How would you deal with such a revelation? Corin Faife thought his attitude to race was unblemished, then he took a test...
Politics, South of The Border - Monday, August 16, 2010 1:54 - 1 Comment
South of The Border: The View from Latin America
The past few years have been interesting times in Latin America, and this week was no exception: from protests in Bolivia, to a Brazilian possible u-turn on the Iran question to the remarkable warming of relations between Chavez and his Colmbian neighbours. In this week's dispatch, our correspondent Tom Kavanagh reports on what's been going on south of the border...
Jody Mcintyre's Life on Wheels - Sunday, August 15, 2010 12:00 - 0 Comments
Week 70 – Thoughts on Equality
By Jody Mcintyre Ni’lin really is a surreal place. When I first arrived in the small West Bank village that I would spend the next week in, I didn’t expect to see an orthodox Jewish settler getting his car fixed… I stared at him in complete disbelief, and he smiled and waved back. Stealing people’s land […]Arts & Culture, Features, Music & Dance, Profiles - Sunday, August 15, 2010 0:13 - 0 Comments
Culture Fix: Robert Chrisgau, doyen of US music critics, retires
After more than 40 years at the top of the music journalism game, Robert Christgau, formerly of the Village Voice and legendary author of the 'Consumer guide' series has this month announced his retirement from writing his weekly column. To mark this end of an era, academic and writer Donal Mac an Eala writes a moving tribute to a unique, encylopedically rich voice in music and cultural criticism.
Columns, Diary of a Domestic Extremist - Thursday, August 12, 2010 13:53 - 5 Comments
Diary of a Domestic Extremist: When legal means are not enough
The recent bankruptcy of the Refugee and Migrant Justice (RMJ) charity has left thousands of asylum seekers stuck in hopelessness and despair, leading at least one of them, Rasul Osman, to take his own life. This is the latest in a series of attempts by the previous government and the current coalition to make it harder than ever for those seeking a safe haven from torture and violence to do so in dignity and respect. Mikhail Goldman explains the impact created by recent changes to the legal aid system and the catstrophic consequences on the lives of the vulnerable. He also sends out a clear message: when the law fails those it is supposed to protect, only human solidarity and a common determination can make a difference.
Columns, Modern Times - Tuesday, August 10, 2010 13:39 - 10 Comments
Modern Times: Meet the Amish
Idiosyncratic, quixotic, or just plain sinister? the Amish community has been, almost since its inception, the butt of jokes and the subject of fascination tinged with hostility from the mainstream. And yet, considering the giant spiritual malaise afflicting the west of the twenty first century, doesn't the frequent smugness towards the Amish seem rather misplaced? A recent Channel 4 programme makes Corin Faife consider what the Amish philosophy of life can teach us about the modern world, and ourselves.
