Censor, purge, defund: how Trump is following the authoritarian playbook on science and universities

[Bootstraps]

I shall continue to prefer the medical consensus to your opinion, but thank you for offering it.

And is that consensus based on biology or mentality?

 

[schmidlap]

And is that consensus based on biology or mentality?

The consensuses of both the scientific and medical communities are based upon empirical data.

An individual's gender identity and biology do not necessarily align.

Of course, anyone who can't handle that reality can pretend that there is a vast, timeless conspiracy by children and adults pretending to have a gender identity that differs from their biology for inexplicable reasons.

 

[Bootstraps]

The consensuses of both the scientific and medical communities are based upon empirical data.

An individual's gender identity and biology do not necessarily align.

Of course, anyone who can't handle that reality can pretend that there is a vast, timeless conspiracy by children and adults pretending to have a gender identity that differs from their biology for inexplicable reasons.

You didn't answer the question. Biology or mentality. Which is it?

 

[westwall]

When you get right down to it sir, what the US and Israeli Governments (yes, almost one in the same) have been practicing since Dubya declared his Global War Of Terror 20+ years ago is terrorism. So this is very much a pot calling the kettle black situation. As POTUS, several men in successive administrations have been terrorists, and Bibi is the biggest of them all. So members of Congress concocted the AUMF so that terrorism could be advanced with my tax dollars and yours. This means your claim that one is not free to advocate for terrorist activities is rendered false by the historical record.

Can you find that part in the First Amendment or elsewhere that documents the "terrorist" exception? Or the "criticism of Israel" exception? For that matter, might you offer a definition of terror or terrorism? I have one from a USMC General decades ago, but I won't put it out until you respond.

All that the US and Israel have been doing all 'round the globe is illegal military aggression. Thus Bush & Co were convicted of war crimes in 2012 in Malaysia in absentia. That effort was led by Francis Boyle and complied with all international legal standards. Naturally and expectedly the Malaysian carrier was taken down as Israeli revenge in July 2014.

Point is you're on very thin ice with your propaganda. Those actions from Bush on down to Donald are in violation of the US Constitution, but like Dubya pointed out, it's just a piece of paper. It appears you and Donald agree with him, and Bibi laughs on.

Oh golly, a "Court" in Malaysia convicted people of a crime. Ever been to Malaysia? It ranks very high on the governmental corruption scale. Their opinions mean nothing to me.

 

[schmidlap]

You didn't answer the question. Biology or mentality. Which is it?

The consensus of medical organizations agree that gender identity and biology do not necessarily align.

Are you able to grasp that?

 

[Bootstraps]

The consensus of medical organizations agree that gender identity and biology do not necessarily align.

Are you able to grasp that?

I'm able to grasp that this is your way of saying mental. These medical organizations made a decision based entirely on feelings. I'd rather place my trust in a doctor who uses facts.

 

[schmidlap]

I'm able to grasp that this is your way of saying mental. These medical organizations made a decision based entirely on feelings. I'd rather place my trust in a doctor who uses facts.

Your personal opinion is based upon feelings, not facts.

If you are unable to grasp the reality that an individual's gender identity and biology do not always align, do you fantasize that medical specialist have all abandoned science, and that all the adults and children who experience such a discrepancy are engaged in a massive conspiracy to deceive you for inexplicable reasons?

 

[Bootstraps]

Your personal opinion is based upon feelings, not facts.

If you are unable to grasp the reality that an individual's gender identity and biology do not always align, do you fantasize that medical specialist have all abandoned science, and that all the adults and children who experience such a discrepancy are engaged in a massive conspiracy to deceive you for inexplicable reasons?

If a doctor needs you to remove your clothes for an examination and then asks your gender while fully naked, your doctor is unqualified be a doctor. They do not rely on facts and instead enable make believe. You're free to go "nuh uh" all you want, but no one is required or should be made to entertain someone else's personal life choices.

And no, I don't fantasize about such stuff.

 

[schmidlap]

If a doctor needs you to remove your clothes for an examination and then asks your gender while fully naked, your doctor is unqualified be a doctor. They do not rely on facts and instead enable make believe. You're free to go "nuh uh" all you want, but no one is required or should be made to entertain someone else's personal life choices.

And no, I don't fantasize about such stuff.

Even a careful examination of a person's physical characteristics does not reveal that person's gender identity.

Your inability to respect both medical science and every individual's psychological self-awareness is unfortunate.

 

[Bootstraps]

Even a careful examination of a person's physical characteristics does not reveal that person's gender identity.

Your inability to respect both medical science and every individual's psychological self-awareness is unfortunate.

If a physician can't tell what you are by your genitals, they are not qualified to treat anyone.

No one has any obligation to entertain anyone's personal life choices. While I believe a person is free to identify however they want, they do not get to make demands of others to force them to comply with their personal decisions.

And the medical science you are basing your opinions on is all based entirely on how a person feels, not fact. I choose to stick to the facts.

All that said and done, I recognize that neither of us are going to agree with each other. That's fine. That's life. I'm not going to attack you for having a different set of beliefs. I defend a person's ability to choose their gender, but I also defend a person's ability to reject these ideas.

 

[PeterPilot]

Oh golly, a "Court" in Malaysia convicted people of a crime. Ever been to Malaysia? It ranks very high on the governmental corruption scale. Their opinions mean nothing to me.

You're demonstrating you are unable offer any legitimate defense of the Global War Of Terror. When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser.

 

[westwall]

You're demonstrating you are unable offer any legitimate defense of the Global War Of Terror. When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser.

No, I am denying a corrupt country having any say whatsoever in my country's actions.

 

[PeterPilot]

No, I am denying a corrupt country having any say whatsoever in my country's actions.

Yes we agree, you are in denial of reality. You're not alone there, and likely in the majority. We certainly deserve the government we have. Liberty dies to thunderous applause. You're welcome.

 

[westwall]

Yes we agree, you are in denial of reality. You're not alone there, and likely in the majority. We certainly deserve the government we have. Liberty dies to thunderous applause. You're welcome.

Actually, liberty dies when government silences free speech.

 

[konradv]

The attacks on science and universities are neither random nor new

“This isn’t chaos—it’s a deliberate war on science and academic freedom. In just six weeks, the Trump administration has slashed research budgets, purged health and scientific agencies, censored research, and threatened universities.

Making a list of the actions taken since January 2025 reveals distinct patterns. Just as the administration’s actions as a whole are following an authoritarian playbook, so are the specific ways they are attacking science.”

Censor, purge, defund: how Trump is following the authoritarian playbook on science and universities

I have mapped 35 of the Trump administration's attacks on science and universities to the authoritarian playbook - and consider what it means for attacks still to come

christinapagel.substack.com

The fascist Trump regime knows that facts and the truth are its enemy; authoritarians such as Trump have long attacked institutions that safeguard and promote science, facts, and the truth.

Trump is defunding the cops that matter to billionaires: FTC, IRS, The Fed…, i.e. any agency that stands between them and making money by any means, regardless of the effects on the 99%.

 

[konradv]

Actually, liberty dies when government silences free speech.

That’s what Trump’s doing by threatening to sue or worse former staffers that wrote books.