Homophobia

Magnificent Victory On All Fronts, And Repudiation Of Trump And MAGA!

Ronald 31 Comments

American Democracy survives, as on Election Day 2025, there was a magnificent victory on all fronts by Democrats, everywhere one looked!

From the victory of a Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani as New York City Mayor, to a moderate centrist Democrat Abigail Spanberger in Virginia and Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey elected as Governors, to a 2-1 victory for the Proposition of reapportionment of House seats in California, and even the retention of three state Supreme Court Justices in Pennsylvania, Democrats revived after the tragedy of the Presidential Election of 2024.

The Democratic Party showed its diversity, with a Muslim NYC Mayor, and Women Governors with military background in Virginia and New Jersey!

With all of the disillusionment the Democrats have gone through this past year since Donald Trump was elected, the reality remains that the Democratic Party IS “the party of the people”, of all backgrounds, and its diversity is its strength!

The Republican Party has become a party of sycophants to an authoritarian Fascist dictator wannabe, who is mentally deficient, mean spirited, cruel, heartless, and promoting an attack on democracy and the rule of law.

The Republicans are primarily a party of those who promote racism, nativism, misogyny, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and homophobia, allowing extremist white supremacist Christianity to become its central message, even though Donald Trump is, most certainly, totally irreligious!

Release Of Israeli Hostages A Major Accomplishment For Donald Trump, BUT What About Preserving Democracy In America?

Ronald 12 Comments

The deal struck by President Donald Trump that has led today to the release of Israeli hostages is a major accomplishment, for which Trump deserves credit and praise.

However, Trump is over the top in his belief that a new world has emerged in the Middle East, as if this arrangement solves all of the issues involving the Palestinians and Israel, and the reality that Hamas has not been totally dissolved.

So the likelihood is for future warfare and conflict, and more bloodshed down the road, if not immediately.

This is a sad situation, but is a realistic assessment.

So while Trump can be praised for what he has done, and it has made him popular in Israel, the reality is that it does not make up for the total destruction of American democracy and the rule of law at home in America.

Trump has been engaged with his sycophants in the Cabinet, in the MAGA Republican Congress, and in the Supreme Court, in undermining the Bill of Rights.

It is clearly well along toward establishment of an authoritarian Fascist government, that is nativist, racist, misgonynist, homophobic, and imperialist oriented on the world stage, with his threats toward Latin America, Canada, and NATO, and his creating tensions around the world with his crazy tariff policies.

Hegseth, Trump Meeting With High Level Military A Totally Shocking Event, Beyond The Pale!

Ronald 6 Comments

Two days after the meeting at Quantico, Virginia of President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth with hundreds of top Generals and Admirals, an unprecedented event in person of so many defense and security people in one location, the nation is reeling from the event.

Trump came across as showing clearcut evidence of massive physical and mental decline, more like a ranting, raving, embarrassing maniac than anything else.

One would think this was as if he was the leader of the Russian Federation, or of China, North Korea, Iran, Hungary, Turkey, Egypt, El Salvador, or other like minded dictatorships than the leader of the American Republic.

Hegseth came across as a cocky, arrogant, egomaniac, who demonstrated total racism, misogyny, homophobia, and clearly a Fascist oriented, incompetent womanizer with a major alcohol problem, and with zero qualifications to lead the nation’s defenses.

The Generals and Admirals at this shocking event stayed silent, as is required, rather than what Trump was asking, that they applaud him, and with a threat that any opposition expressed would lead to the end of theif careers.

But in the aftermath, retired military people communicated with many of these hundreds of military leaders, and there was a clearcut judgment that the gathered audience was stunned and had grim looks on their faces.

Since the military is supposed to be loyal to the Constitution and their oath of service to that document, not to any individual who happens to be President, one wonders whether elements of military leadership at some point might be ready to take action against any threat to the Constitution and rule of law, in some form.

The thought that this government, more Fascist and authoritarian oriented by the day, might spend the next three plus years further consolidating power, and denying basic human rights, makes one wonder what can or should be done about the dire threat to American democracy.

Will there be fair elections in 2026 and 2028, or will this authoritarianism suspend the heritage of free, fair, and regularly scheduled elections?

The future of American democracy and the rule of law may lie in what these military leaders decide is their duty as the threats grow of the loss of freedom for 330 million Americans!

Shocking Assassination Of Charlie Kirk A Danger Sign For Future Of American Politics! :(

Ronald 40 Comments

The shocking assassination of right wing activist Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, at a Utah University speaking event yesterday, is a danger sign for the future of American politics.

Kirk was a controversial and outspoken figure, who had millions of followers on social media who followed his extremist rhetoric, which had elements of racism, nativism, misogyny, Islamophobia, and attacks on gay, lesbian and transgender people.

And despite his recent pro Israel support on the Gaza War, Kirk also had uttered antisemitic assertions, and was promoting a white Christian MAGA nationalism mentality.

Kirk had the full support of Donald Trump and his children, JD Vance, and all of the most influential Trump Cabinet and advisers, and was seen as the most controversial and divisive young advocate of Trump policies, along with Stephen Miller.

Now, sadly and troubling, we are seeing, already, right wing attacks on the left wing, without any idea of who the assassin was, and that person’s motivations, as the manhunt continues as I write this entry.

And the fear is that Trump and his Cabinet will step up even more abusive and aggressive attacks on the vulnerable groups that have already been victimized in the past eight months.

Here we are on the 24th anniversary of September 11, and now a crisis on what the American future will be, and the fear of many more victims of violence and bloodshed that may be perpetrated by the extremists of both sides of the political spectrum.

This is a time that America should be uniting in mourning a death that should not have occurred, not a time for retribution and revenge!

PBS Being Eliminated By Trump, Replaced By “Prager University”, Which Is Despicable Alternative!

Ronald 4 Comments

PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, existent since 1969, is disappearing as a publicly supported entity, due to Donald Trump’s cutting of nearly a billion dollars of public funding for that agency which has been so positive and constructive over 56 years.

PBS will survive due to public support, but many rural stations will be unable to sustain themselves sadly.

Right wing influence is attempting to have a so called “university” which is not such, “Prager University”, propagandize and distort education in schools in many states, with ten states adopting their curriculums to promote their agenda, far from what PBS did.

Its videos, designed solely to promote propaganda and make profits, distort the truth of slavery; deny the reality of climate change and global warming; advocate racism, nativism, misogyny, and homophobia, rather than promote tolerance and acceptance. It also distorts the reality of fascism and advocates creationism, rather than the truth of science.

Its creator, Dennis Prager, undermines the traditional Jewish open mindedness of his faith, in a selfish desire to gain excessive wealth in league with evangelical religious extremists, proving the profit motive more important than basic ethics, morality, compassion, decency, and empathy.

It is important to realize that “Prager University” is NOT a university and does not confer degrees, and is not accredited by any recognized educational body.

Among those involved in video presentation are Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson, Ben Shapiro, and Michelle Malkin, which says a lot in itself.

The website promotes against the minimum wage and gun control, and for unbridled, unregulated capitalism.

The states of Florida, Oklahoma, New Hampshire, Montana, Arizona, and Louisiana were the first states to allow “Prager University” to be an official vendor of so called educational material.

And now, Oklahoma has adopted an “ideology test” in league with “Prager University” to screen and withhold teaching certificates in the state from educators applying from “Blue” states to teach in the state, since they are considered “woke”, as if that is a sin.

It should be pointed out that it is hard to imagine any educator outside of Oklahoma lusting to move there, with the narrowminded nature of the Oklahoma Superintendant of Public Instruction, Ryan Walters, and the fact of the very low pay nationally of teachers in that state.

A Time To Celebrate: 17 Years Of “The Progressive Professor”, But Also A Time To Mourn The Demise Of The American Experiment! :(

Ronald 4 Comments

Today, August 11, marks precisely SEVENTEEN years of this author and blogger publishing commentary on this blog, “The Progressive Professor”, that was created in 2008, with the support and encouragement of my older son, David Feinman, who knew I had a passion to share my thoughts on American history, government and politics with others!

In those 17 years, there have been to date 8,550 articles published, and 28,532 comments made by my readers and followers. The comments added have been invaluable, and have, immensely, improved the whole concept of the blog, so I wish to thank all of those individuals who have committed themselves to contributing their thoughts and ideas, to the benefit of all those who read the blog daily.

In the present political climate, one cannot be certain that there will be a continuation of the blog long term, as these are dangerous times to be expressing thoughts, many of them critical, of events and personalities.

We may be witnessing the collapse of American democracy, the Constitution, and the rule of law, and we may not survive the Presidency of Donald Trump, with the ability to restore what we had over nearly 250 years–an evolving nation with many faults which moved toward “a more perfect union”.

That has been destroyed by a quarter century of deceit and right wing extremism, motivated from the time of the Presidential Election of 2000, when Al Gore was denied the Presidency in favor of George W. Bush by a Supreme Court which showed it had no principles other than promoting aggrandizement of the nation by the wealthy.

Barack Obama came along and gave us hope of recovery, but faced great and fierce opposition, and the right wing extremist factions worked to, once again, undermine the American experiment by denying Hillary Clinton the Presidency in 2016 in favor of Donald Trump, who had ill intentions from the beginning.

Donald Trump worked at destroying the American Republic, and the nation was only, miraculously, saved in 2020 by the good fortune of Joe Biden coming along at the right time.

But the right wing forces attempted a coup d’etat, an Insurrection, NOT as some people claimed just a “riot”, but now being wiped out as if it never happened, as those who were involved in criminal acts have been “exonerated” by Trump pardons.

But the “disease” promoted by Trump and minions–the spreading of nativism, racism, misogyny, and homophobia by religious extremists—managed to convince gullible and poorly educated Americans to vote in 2024 to overcome and destroy the Republic that they did not fully appreciate, a shocking development.

Now, the rest of us are forced to suffer the ignorance, stupidity, and bias of ill informed and ill educated people, and are seeing our civil liberties destroyed.

Personally, having retired completely from teaching at the university level after 53 years, this author and blogger is, fortunately, continuing to give lectures to adults and senior citizens in South Florida, but it is difficult to predict what will happen in the short run and long run regarding this blog.

I just wish to hope for the best for myself, and all those who read my blog, as we move forward to chart whatever the future brings, which at this moment, does not look promising.

The future seems, sadly, likely to see the promotion of authoritarianism; the collapse of the economy with destructive tariffs; and the triumph of evil in international affairs, as witnessed by the Russia-Ukraine War and the Israel-Gaza War.

Thanks again, for your support and encouragement, to all those who read and contribute to this blog.

Rachel Maddow Makes Clear: Authoritarianism Has Arrived Under Donald Trump! :(

Ronald 40 Comments

On Monday evening, the great Rachel Maddow on MSNBC made the clear announcement that Authoritarianism has arrived! 🙁

It is no longer an issue of whether it is occurring, or is in process.

When one looks at the multitude of events and statements over the past six plus months, America is in dire straits in so many ways.

The Republican Party in Congress and the majority of the Supreme Court are in unison with most of what is being perpetrated by Donald Trump, his Cabinet, and others.

While there is opposition still existing, we have seen caving in by many law firms, corporations, and even more troubling, by several leading universities, and even concessions by ABC and CBS, and the end of the Corporation For Public Broadcasting, which helped support public televsion and radio since 1969.

This is the most depressing time in American history, and may be ranked historically as the most dangerous times since the threat of Fascism and Nazism in World War II.

It is hard not to be in despair, and a sense of fear has spread, as ICE agents arrest and detain people without just cause, and most having no criminal record of any kind.

Nativism, racism, misogyny, homophobia all are having their heyday! 🙁

American democracy is facing unprecedented challenges, and American national security is endangered, as America’s relationship with the world, including its long time allies, is endangered by the highest tariffs in a century, and a sense of lack of reliability of the nation to the world around it.

But, as Rachel Maddow makes clear, it is not a time for just despair, but rather for determination to resist in every way possible, including NOT allowing the naked attempt of Republicans to fix the 2026 Congressional elections and Congressional and Presidential Elections of 2028 and beyond.

There is widespread outrage being openly expressed all across the nation, and courage and principle must continue to be utilized in an active resistance!

Chaos, Confusion, Anarchy–Donald Trump, Elon Musk War On Civil Service And Military!

Ronald 26 Comments

Donald Trump and Elon Musk are making clear that they are at war with America’s Civil Service workers, more than two million of them, as well as against the military leadership and troops that are committed to protecting America!

Their goal is the politicizing of the civil service, cutting government workers ruthlessly, without any concern or understanding of the significance of their roles in making America work!

Additonally, top military brass who are Black or female have been removed from leadership!

Their racism, misogyny, and homophobia is clear, as they promote a white male supremacy and reject our traditional alliances with democratic nations in Europe for, instead, a warming up to the war criminal Vladimir Putin, and alliances with other authoritarian leaders around the globe!

Their evil intentions, assisted by the refusal of the Republican Party to stand by traditional views and beliefs, promotes chaos, confusion and anarchy!

The American people at large are victims of the criminal activities of this oligarchy, plutocracy, and tiny sector of America that has no conscience, ethics, morals, compassion, or empathy!

Shocking Plane Crash In DC Politicized By Trump As “DEI”!

Ronald 19 Comments

The shocking plane crash on the Potomac River at Reagan National Airport in Washington DC is a massive tragedy, the first such event since 2009.

Overall, America has an outstanding record regarding air traffic control, although there have been a number of “close shaves”, near accidents, that thankfully did not occur.

But for Donald Trump to make the tragedy political and claim that Democrats, and specifically Joe Biden and Barack Obama, are responsible due to “DEI”, is unconscionable.

Trump claims that having some air traffic controllers who are women or non white men lower the standards of excellence is an outrage, pure racism and sexism! And to bring up the concept of intellectual or mental disabilities is ridiculous, as no one is engaged in this kind of work who has intellectual or mental disabilities.

It is making people who have such disabilities a new target for Donald Trump, who, however, has made fun of disabled reporters in past years, and has no heart or common decency!

Of course, his loyal supporters, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and new Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy just mouth his prejudices.

And Trump attacked reporters who challenged his purposefully biases, with no shame, although he does not have a clue as to what caused the tragedy!

And he also attacked a great public servant, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who was outstanding in that position under Joe Biden, and also served well as Mayor of South Bend, Indiana.

By making Buttigieg an easy target directly, Trump is also speaking out the fact that Buttigieg is a gay male with a husband and two sons, but at the same time, Trump has a Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, who is also a gay male with a husband and children, so a clear double standard!

Donald Trump: No Compassion, Empathy Or Humanity, Just Oriented Toward Revenge!

Ronald 47 Comments

Donald Trump is a wretched human being, a man who clearly is racist, sexist, nativist, misogynist, homophobic, and elements of antisemitism.

Trump is a very disturbed person, who flirts with authoritarian leaders, including Vladimir Putin, and the leaders of other nations with dictatorships.

Somehow, he has a hold on the Republican Party, which refuses to speak out over the years about his outrageous utterances, actions, and illegal and unethical activities.

Now, just two days into his second Presidency, Trump is displaying once again his lack of compassion, empathy, and humanity.

Trump has created a new potential threat with the pardon of all of the January 6, 2021 Insurrectionists.

He has also made clear mass deportation will include raids on churches and schools.

He has eliminated the Spanish language translation on government websites.

He is in process of firing many civil servants in the federal government.

He has demanded an apology from the Washington National Cathedral Bishop, who pleaded with him for the protection of gay, lesbian and transgender people, and undocumented immigrants who have not committed crimes.

He has moved to get rid of birthright citizenship, even though it is in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.

There are clear signs that he is bent on assuming absolute power, and has totally intimidated members of Congress, who with only a few exceptions, have not been willing to speak out against his actions and intentions.