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@vienna: Just curious: Are you against the naming of the ship for political reasons, as in you don't agree with his politics, or do you think his national impact was not important enough to name a US ship after him rather than a "West Coast Guard" vessel?
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As I have aged, I don't really view myself as political as I used to be when I was younger. I'm just looking for some common sense. I will vote for and support any person or group that makes the most basic sense and doesn't just sloganize and mouth vague platitudes. It seems that nowadays we elect Presidents, Senators, and Congressmen as part of a party's package deal, kind of like how we are sold wireless phones; you gotta take a whole bundle which may include some features you don't need or want. So, no, its not based on a disagreement with a particular viewpoint or party affiliation. There are a lot of people whose politics I may not totally agree with, but who, as an individual, I deeply respect and admire. As far as Chavez is concerned, I have generally been indifferent about his politics or activities. I was in middle school and high school (about ages 13-18) when he first became prominent here in California. I don't really see him as much more than another labor organizer. When held up to the contributions of people like Dr. Martin Luther King, I feel he falls rather short of the mark. He's just another of a great many politicians, commumity activists, regional VIPs who get things named after them and who will probably be forgotten after a spell. He sesems to have become the figurehead of the Latino activists, particulary the Mexican contingent, since there appears to be a paucity of 'heroes' for them to trumpet about; really, aside from Chavez, who in the Latino political community has the general public even heard of or know by sight and/or name. I'm clean out of guesses...
As far as naming ships, or anything else paid for by taxpayer dollars, after persons, I believe that:
- They should be dead: The U.S. Postal Service used to require a person nominated for a honor on a postal stamp be dead for a rather lengthy number of years before they could even be nominated (this rule may have been changed in recent years as the USPS moves more to 'market their product).
- As stated above a long period of time should pass before a naming honor is given (I don't think the FBI Headquarters would be named after J. Edgar Hoover if his mob connections and taste in dresses were known at the time). An exception for extraordinary heroism in military service or as an emergency responder (e.g., 9/11 firemen, police, EMT, etc.)
- Politicians should be excluded from all naming unless they have made a very major contribution to the nation and have given their life or experienced pronounced disability as a result of serving in office. The founding fathers pledged their "lives and fortunes" in creating this nation and backed it up with action. Somehow, I don't think political longevity, party loyalty, pork barrel earmarks come quite up to the level of what the founders risked.
All in all, I really believe the UK custom of naming ships after ideals or non-human objects or creatures is preferrable and much less contoversial...
As a final note, I want make clear I am not "bashing" Latinos, Hispanics, or whatever the nom du jour might be; my parents both came, as legal immigrants from Central America (they arrived separately and met here in the U.S), worked hard to earn their citizenship, studied for their tests, and became very, very proud law abiding U.S. citizens. So, by the nature of DNA, I am technically a Latino (or whatever). By virtue of my birth in this country I am an American, and by virtue of my parents upbringing of myself, I am a very proud American. There are a great many native born Americans, of Latin ancestry, who feel as I do and have short shrift with all the loudmouthed "activists" who claim to speak for all Latinos anymore than all the loudmouthed Liberal and/or Consrevative "activists" speak for all Americans in general. I do not live as a hypenated entity or political viewpoint: Born American, live American, and will die American...
[Sorry for the mini-rant; I will now yeild the soap box...]
@TLAM: Facing the CVN Assimilator might just give an enemy great pause...
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