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Title: Atheist Richard Dawkins is banned from US radio station over 'hurtful' comments about Muslims, but he responds: 'Why is it fine to criticize Christianity but not Islam?'
Source: [None]
URL Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art ... kins-banned-radio-station.html
Published: Jul 25, 2017
Author: Dave Burke
Post Date: 2017-07-25 21:04:41 by Ada
Keywords: None
Views: 53

British scientist had been due to talk at California event about his new book

The event was cancelled by radio station KPFA, which cited 'hurtful' remarks about Islam

In 2013 Dawkins branded Islam 'the greatest force for evil in the world' in tweet

The writer has hit back, claiming Islam gets a 'free pass' from criticizm

Richard Dawkins, a renowned atheist, had been due to speak at an event hosted by Berkeley-based station KPFA

A row over free speech has broken out between scientist Richard Dawkins and a California radio station after a planned speech was cancelled.

The British biologist, a renowned atheist, had been due to speak at an event hosted by Berkeley-based station KPFA about his latest book.

But the speech was pulled, with organizers citing 'hurtful' statements made by Dawkins about Islam.

It is not known what specific remarks prompted the cancellation, but online commentators have drawn attention to a 2013 tweet in which the writer described Islam as 'the greatest force for evil in the world today'.

Dawkins himself has hit back, saying his issue is with Islamism, and pointing out that he has never been barred from events because of his criticism of Christianity.

A statement from KPFA said: 'We had booked this event based entirely on his excellent new book on science, when we didn’t know he had offended and hurt – in his tweets and other comments on Islam – so many people.

The scientist has hit back at the radio station's decision to cancel the event +3 He had been due to speak about his new book, Brief Candle In The Dark +3 Dawkins (left), had been due to speak about his latest book 'Brief Candle In The Dark' (right)

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'We apologise for not having had broader knowledge of Dawkins’s views much earlier. We also apologise to all those inconvenienced by this cancellation.'

In an open letter, Dawkins responded to the radio station: 'If you had consulted me, or if you had done even rudimentary fact-checking, you would have concluded that I have never used abusive speech against Islam.

'I have called IslamISM “vile” but surely you, of all people, understand that Islamism is not the same as Islam.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4727760/Richard-Dawkins- banned-radio-station.html#ixzz4ntZA0n00 Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

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