Wednesday, May 18, 2011

The USNS CESAR CHAVEZ

The Navy is naming a cargo ship the USNS CESAR CHAVEZ.   

HERE are the facts from the L.A. Times blog.....

Here's one viewpoint:

U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine) disagrees with the Navy's decision to name a cargo ship under construction in San Diego for California farm labor leader Cesar Chavez.
The decision, announced Tuesday, "appear[s] to be more about making a political statement than upholding the Navy's history and tradition," Hunter said in press release.
Hunter, who served as a Marine in Iraq and Afghanistan, said that if the Navy wanted to recognize "the Hispanic contribution to our nation, many other names come to mind."
Hunter mentioned Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta, killed in combat in Iraq and nominated for the Medal of Honor."Peralta is one of many Hispanic war heroes -- some of whom are worthy of the same recognition," Hunter said.He also mentioned as worthy of having a ship named for him the late John Finn, the recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions on Dec. 7, 1941.
The decision to name the dry cargo ship after Chavez was announced by Navy Secretary Ray Mabus during a trip to San Diego. Chavez served in the Navy during World War II.

HERE is typical leftwing criticism of Hunter;   (they can't criticize without calling him an IDIOT, of course)

HERE is another viewpoint, from the DailyKos, which I think has a lot to think about, too. (It's a short piece but I didn't want you to miss reading the whole thing because I'd only quoted a short bit of it; please check it out)


WHAT DO YOU THINK?....should there be a USNS CESAR CHAVEZ?   Would USNS RAFAEL PERALTA be better?   Is this about politics or .... what?

geeeeeZ

16 comments:

Speedy G said...

lol! What the 'h. T-AKE-13 was named after Medgar Evers. I can hardly wait for the USNS Jesse Jackson.

cube said...

I think I'd prefer the USNS Cesar Romero ;-)

Z said...

Ya, Speedy, I read about the Medgar Evers ship when I did this research.
Well, I'm a little squishy on Evers, I must admit...always have been.
I don't equate Evers with the ego-oriented, grandstanding Jesse Jackson.

Cube, I roared!!

Anonymous said...

A USNS ship is an auxiliary ship, not a warship. I have no problem naming an auxiliary ship after Caesar Chavez. I would be writing tomes of letters to the Navy Department if they intended to name a warship after Chavez.

As a Medal of Honor recipient, Peralta may indeed have a warship named in his honor.

Z said...

Mustang, good points, thanks. Yes, it's apparently referred to as a CARGO SHIP?
I hope Peralta does have that happen on a warship/ if we ever build one again :-)

Anonymous said...

Z ... right now, the Navy has 248 ships on active duty. And 300 admirals ...

I say we give up a few admirals, beginning with Mullen, and add a few more ships.

FairWitness said...

Something doesn't feel right about this, Z. What did Cesar Chavez actually contribute to mankind? A 2 year stint in the Navy? So what? There must thousands of sailors who did that. He spoke out for migrant farmers working conditions, well okay. Went a hunger strike and died a few days later in 1993? Unknown cause of death. That is suspicious.

WomanHonorThyself said...

It rubs me wrong Z............

Always On Watch said...

Ugh.

Can't America name ships of whatever kind after real American heroes?

Z said...

AOW, what, after the America-hating media gets done denigrating the heroes?

Anonymous said...

"I can hardly wait for the USNS Jesse Jackson."


Maybe the Russians will do it and it'll be another...widow maker!

Pris said...

I'm not sure the left would be too happy to know that Cesar Chavez was opposed to illegal immigration.

That was unfair competition for his Farm Workers Association, for whom he was trying to get higher wages, and decent living conditions.

Having said this I can't say he rose to the place where he deserves this honor of having a Navy ship named after him, but not being familiar enough with the process for this, I'll pass on criticizing the Navy.

Chavez served his country, America. Somehow, I think the Navy could have done worse.

Anonymous said...

"Somehow, I think the Navy could have done worse."


Dunno Prisc. I can see the aggrieved muslims petitioning to have a ship named after Ossama Bin Laden a few years down the road. After all....Paul said he shouldn't have been dispatched like he was and CAIR might make a case...just saying.

PC and all..DADT and all....diversity and all, ya know?

Did you know that United has begun using the flight numbers of 93 and 175 again, which were retired after 911?

Maybe it never happened?

christian soldier said...

Navy following bho's lead against DOMA-demanding that Chaplains perform same sex 'marriages' (since rescinded)-
now a Naval vessel named after a semi-communist-
I always thought the AF was the most liberal of the branches-now I'm doing a re-think!
Carol-CS

Z said...

Pris, he didn't mind it those illegals became a member of his group! Still, I'm not totally averse to a cargo ship with his name on it. He did serve our country...

Imp...they didn't RETIRE THOSE FLIGHT NUMBERS? Who the HECK wants to get ON those flights anymore? that's NUTS.

CS, Hi! ya, who knew? But, of course, the Navy also allows men and women to serve on long submarine hauls...that's NUTS, too! Young people who're married to others shoved into very tight quarters with hunky sailors and...female sailors, whatever they're called....how many times have we heard of pregnancies from that kind of ridiculous situation?

Anonymous said...

"they didn't RETIRE THOSE FLIGHT NUMBERS?"


They did for the past 9 years and change but now they're reusing them. American however is not using flight's 77 or 11 in their rosters.

Anyone can go to flightaware and check it out.