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Fact Check: Renaming Milk's ship seen as an insult to LGBTQ contributions.

Fact Check: Renaming Milk's ship seen as an insult to LGBTQ contributions.

Published June 27, 2025
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# Fact Check: "Renaming Milk's ship seen as an insult to LGBTQ contributions." ## What We Know The U.S. Navy's decision to rename the USNS Harvey Mil...

Fact Check: "Renaming Milk's ship seen as an insult to LGBTQ contributions."

What We Know

The U.S. Navy's decision to rename the USNS Harvey Milk, a ship named after the prominent gay rights activist and former San Francisco Supervisor, has sparked significant controversy and backlash, particularly from the LGBTQ+ community. The renaming was ordered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who stated that the names of military assets should reflect the priorities of the current administration and the "warrior ethos" of the military (NPR, AP News). The USNS Harvey Milk was named in 2016 to honor Milk's contributions to civil rights and his service in the Navy during the Korean War.

Critics of the renaming argue that it represents a broader attempt to erase LGBTQ history and contributions, especially given the timing of the announcement coinciding with Pride Month (AP News, MSN). Notable figures, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and California Governor Gavin Newsom, have condemned the decision, labeling it a "shameful" and "spiteful" act that undermines the values of honor and respect for those who fought for civil rights (NPR, AP News).

Analysis

The renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk has been framed by many as a politically motivated act aimed at diminishing the visibility of LGBTQ contributions to American society. The Pentagon's rationale for the renaming, as articulated by spokesman Sean Parnell, emphasizes alignment with the Commander-in-Chief's priorities and a focus on military culture (NPR, AP News). However, this rationale has been met with skepticism, particularly in light of the broader context of the Trump administration's policies, which have included efforts to roll back protections and visibility for LGBTQ individuals in the military (AP News, SF Chronicle).

The criticism from LGBTQ veterans and activists highlights the perception that this renaming is not merely a bureaucratic decision, but rather a symbolic act that seeks to erase the legacy of a figure who fought for equality and representation. The timing of the announcement, during Pride Month, has been particularly pointed, with many interpreting it as a deliberate insult to the LGBTQ community (MSN, SF Chronicle).

While the Pentagon maintains that the decision is part of a broader review of military assets, the specific targeting of a ship named after a gay rights icon raises questions about the motivations behind such actions and their implications for LGBTQ representation in the military and society at large.

Conclusion

The claim that renaming Milk's ship is seen as an insult to LGBTQ contributions is True. The decision to rename the USNS Harvey Milk has been widely criticized as a politically motivated act that undermines the legacy of a significant figure in the fight for LGBTQ rights. The timing of the announcement and the context of ongoing efforts to diminish LGBTQ visibility in the military further support this interpretation. The backlash from LGBTQ advocates and political leaders underscores the sentiment that this renaming is not just a matter of nomenclature but a broader cultural affront to the contributions of LGBTQ individuals.

Sources

  1. Hegseth orders the Navy to strip gay rights leader Harvey Milk's name ...
  2. Pete Hegseth orders Harvey Milk's name scrubbed from US Navy ship | AP News
  3. Windows10 home - za mało miejsca na dysku, nie można wykonać …
  4. Harvey Milk Navy ship to be renamed—vets call it "insult to ...
  5. Hegseth announces new name of US navy ship that honored ...
  6. LGBTQ vets, electeds slam Milk ship renaming
  7. Czym są pliki tymczasowe i czy można je bezpiecznie usunąć
  8. Renaming Harvey Milk naval vessel a vindictive swipe at LGBTQ history

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Detailed fact-check analysis of: Paul Krugman Paul Krugman We’re All Rats Now Time to take a stand, again, against racism Paul Krugman Jun 30, 2025 Zohran Mamdani’s upset victory in New York’s Democratic primary has created panic in MAGAland. Stephen Miller, the architect of Donald Trump’s deportation policies, waxed apocalyptic: Scott Bessent, the Treasury secretary, declared that New York is about to turn into “Caracas on the Hudson.” And Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama basically declared New York’s voters subhuman, saying: These inner-city rats, they live off the federal government. And that’s one reason we’re $37 trillion in debt. And it’s time we find these rats and we send them back home, that are living off the American taxpayers that are working very hard every week to pay taxes. These reactions are vile, and they’re also dishonest. Whatever these men may claim, it’s all about bigotry. Miller isn’t concerned about the state of New York “society.” What bothers him is the idea of nonwhite people having political power. Bessent isn’t really deeply worried about Zamdani’s economic ideas. But he feels free, maybe even obliged, to slander a foreign-born Muslim with language he would never use about a white Christian politician, even if that politician were (like some of his colleagues in the Trump administration) a total crackpot. And while Tuberville stands out even within his caucus as an ignorant fool, his willingness to use dehumanizing language about millions of people shows that raw racism is rapidly becoming mainstream in American politics. Remember, during the campaign both Trump and JD Vance amplified the slanders about Haitians eating pets. And now that they’re in office, you can see the resurgence of raw racism all across Trump administration policies, large and small. 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Are there really people out there naïve enough to believe MAGA’s claims to be against antisemitism, who can’t see the transparent cynicism and dishonesty? The fact is that the Trump administration already contains a number of figures with strong ties to antisemitic extremists. The Great Replacement Theory, which has de facto become part of MAGA’s ideology, doesn’t just say that there’s a conspiracy to replace whites with people of color; it says that it’s a Jewish conspiracy. So I’m definitely scared of what the many antisemites inside or with close ties to the Trump administration may eventually do. And no, I’m not frightened at all by the prospect that New York may soon have a somewhat leftist Muslim mayor. Anyway, my personal fears are beside the point. Everyone who cares about keeping America America needs to take a stand against the resurgence of bigotry. Because the truth is that we’re all rats now. 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