I like humanists and athiests much more than you do - and I'm less sweeping and less certain in my criticism of socialistism.
However, I do have big problems with current left-wing political thought...I can't stand political correctness. More generally, the Left has a basic problem; at bottom, they're trying to justify greater rewards for the meek, the weak, the dumb, the unlucky - life's losers. Not an easy task. Some very, very famous people have tried and failed on this one.
None-the-less Leftists intellectuals, if they're capable and good at their job (as opposed to incompetent, foolish, and intolerant) deserve respect.