Author: Mick Hartley

  • How philosophy works

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    Full interview here.

    Background:

    Nasty open letter from philosophers to Byrne accusing him of gender wrong-think.

    Byrne's response.

    And this February essay is worth revisiting.

  • Egypt’s Gaza border

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    See here – Leaving Egypt out of the Gaza conversation.

  • The BBC defence

    as a woman throughout the trial.

    Some complainants said that the BBC’s choice of language was evidence of its “clear deference to gender identity ideology”. However, it said: “Respecting an individual’s chosen gender identity does not mean the BBC is endorsing or supporting any side of the debate around transgender rights.”

    Respecting an individual’s chosen gender identity somehow loses its "be kind" power when you're reporting on a brutal murder. 

  • The numbers don’t support the UN famine claim

    -left: 40px”>Of course, in any war zone some deaths may go unreported. But to claim that actual mortality was 30 times higher than the numbers on record is an extraordinary leap. And as the late Carl Sagan famously said: “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” The IPC did not provide such evidence. Instead, it relied on speculation and on a few highly controversial studies that were far from sufficient to support claims of hundreds of unreported starvation-related deaths per day. Yet it was precisely this assumption that underpinned the famine declaration.

    In addition, the report downplayed or ignored positive signs of recovery, such as increased aid deliveries, falling food prices, and expanded humanitarian access. Observers have also noted that at least one of its authors has a record of anti‑Israel bias.

    Taken together, these issues raise serious questions not only about the technical rigour of the analysis, but also about its objectivity and neutrality. In short, the evidence presented by the IPC did not even come close to justifying the use of a famine designation. 

    Also, as I noted earlier, the media's persistent use of children with pre-existing medical issues as evidence does little to boost confidence in the famine narrative.

  • “It’s very sad”

    Man thinks it's sad about JK Rowling. Very sad.

    Chris Columbus, who directed the first two Harry Potter films, has said he disagrees with JK Rowling’s views on transgender issues and called the situation “very sad”….

    Columbus, 66, the American filmmaker who launched the blockbuster film franchise, has described the situation as “unfortunate”. He told Variety: “I like to sometimes separate the artist from the art, I think that’s important to do.

    “It’s unfortunate, what’s happened. I certainly don’t agree with what she’s talking about. But it’s just sad, it’s very sad.”

    It'd be good to know which of her views he disagrees with. That men shouldn't be in female toilets or changing rooms? That rapists shouldn't be put in women's prisons? That men shouldn't compete in women's sports? Or perhaps he doesn't really have a clue what he's talking about, and is just indulging in a bit of mindless virtue-signaling….

  • Antisemitism at European universities

    mmon feature”.

    The report, titled “A climate of fear and exclusion”: Antisemitism at European universities, was published today, co-written by B’nai B’rith International, the German think tank Democ and the European Union of Jewish Students. It analyses the situation for Jewish students on campuses in nine different countries, including the UK, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands. Examples of techniques used by so-called “anti-Israel” groups include “threats and physical violence directed towards individual Jewish students or staff”, with multiple examples provided of Jewish students targeted or physically assaulted, “calls to violence and legitimisation of violence as appropriate protest action”, and “solidarity with Hamas and its violent massacre on October 7, 2023, portrayed as “liberation” or righteous resistance”.

    I can't imagine this comes as a surprise to anyone, but at least someone's made the effort to document the whole sorry business.

    In multiple countries, student groups driving the aggression and protests were linked to Palestinian terrorist organisations – Samidoun, for example, is directly connected to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) – while “a recurring element is the involvement of Communist groups and party branches”. Across all the countries, the report also identified how “the prominent participation of professors in demonstrations, or their vocal support and unequivocal solidarity with the protest movement has further contributed to an environment of tension and exclusion of Jewish students.”

    Well yes.

  • Marching with the ayatollah

    >
    — Josh Howie (@joshxhowie) August 26, 2025

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  • The starving child

    ests perhaps that real images of starving children are hard to come by: which in turn suggests that the Gaza famine may not be all that it's cracked up to be. Also, the determination of mainstream media to maintain the famine narrative by using these images serves as a grim reminder of quite how deeply the Israel-hatred has taken root.

  • Terrorism “made up by Israel to marginalise Muslims”

    On Oct 4 last year, he wrote in part of a post on X: “Israel is undeniably a racist apartheid system.”

    In another post, from June 8 last year, Dr Younis stated that “our work isn’t done until all Zionists are removed from our institutions and are shamed, alongside all racists, into nothingness”. On May 27, in part of a post, he claimed that “our healthcare institutions have a Zionism problem”.

    Dr Younis shared a post from June 9 last year regarding the kidnapping of Israeli hostages by Palestinian terrorist groups, which said: “If you don’t like how occupied people do resistance, don’t do occupation.”

    Earlier this year, Dr Younis wrote a report on the psychological impact of Palestinian dispossession, which was submitted in support of the legal bid to lift the UK’s ban on the terror group Hamas.

    He was due to speak at an Islamophobia panel at the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP), but the session was scrapped after a Jewish student complained.

    So someone, finally, blinked.

    Caroline Turner, chief executive of UK Lawyers for Israel, which highlighted Dr Younis’s social media history, told The Telegraph: “We are particularly concerned about the conduct of Dr Tarek Younis, which we believe amounts to discrimination, racism and anti-Semitism.

    “Over the past year or longer, Dr Younis has published a number of anti-Semitic and highly offensive posts on social media, which include justifying the commission of international crimes and terror attacks against Jews and Israelis, and spreading other racist and discriminatory content.

    “The public display of racism and anti-Semitism shown by Dr Younis on his social media page confirms that he has violated a number of UCL’s policies and should be subject to disciplinary action following a thorough investigation into his conduct.”…

    A UCL spokesman said: “We have a long-established process for external speaker bookings that helps ensure hundreds of these events can take place at UCL each year, in line with our deep commitment to free speech, while also ensuring the safety and security of all those who attend.

    “Whenever we receive a complaint, it is investigated through our normal processes and we will take any action, as is necessary.”

    Translation: go away, we're not interested.

    Middlesex University was approached for comment.

    But couldn't be bothered to reply.

  • The result of a version of Islam imposed by its own people

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    Full text:

    Yet, some comment asking, “Why don’t you speak about Gaza?” or “Why not support women there?”
    Let me be clear: Afghanistan has suffered over 50 years of war. Which Muslim country came to defend Afghan women and people? On the contrary, many contributed to the chaos.

    Where were the voices from Gaza or others when Afghan women were suffering for decades?
    We want justice for women everywhere — including Gaza — but let’s also ask why Gaza is in this situation today.
    It is the result of a version of Islam imposed by its own people — just like in Afghanistan under the Taliban.
    This isn’t about ignoring one group. It’s about finally listening to Afghan women, who have been silenced for too long.