SAN FRANCISCO Pro-gay approach tried on battleship skeptics

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 9/7/05 | Wyatt Buchanan

[dukeman]

There's a new battle plan for bringing the battleship Iowa to San Francisco.

The battleship's supporters now hope to gain the support of city leaders by turning part of the vessel into a museum about the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy and the contributions of gays, lesbians, ethnic minorities and women to the military.

[dukeman]

Un-believable

[Battle Hymn of the Republic]

I guess all the sarcastic comments about turning it into a homo bar, were not that far fetched.

[glorgau]

Better it goes up river to Stockton. To hell with San Francisco.

[MarineBrat]

I thought it had been decided to move the ship to ... er... was it Stockton? Or Sacramento? I forgot the city name, but it was somewhere inland from San Fagsisco.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

ethnic minorities and women to the military.

Why involve these people?

[Pylon]

It's Bush's fau...Nevermind.

[SE Mom]

I would rather it were turned into scrap metal than to see a proud ship used for such a purpose.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

I strongly suspect that the U.S. Navy will not go along with turning this glorious battleship into a sleazy monument for gay rights...

[dead]

This is like some sort of sick joke. The linked article doesn’t mention the 47 crewmen who died in an explosion aboard the Iowa. Depending on which investigation you believe, that explosion may have been triggered intentionally by a sailor turned suicidal because of the disintegration of a homosexual shipboard romance.

Let's have a rainbow celebration!

[Rosemont]

The Gay Left Lobby seems to control the agenda of the People's Republic of California.

[Wiseghy]

It would be wonderful to host such a historic ship in the Bay Area, next to the Pampanito WWII sub, paddle wheel and other Tall Ships.

Its hard to imagine getting the support of the city's activist board without this "compromise". I only hope that they can be balanced in the presentation.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Actually, the Navy later quietly determined in drop tests that "overramming" the powder into the gun's breech is what most likely caused the explosion.

[GSWarrior]

I don't think this is going to happen. SF in the past has banned recruiters from visiting schools; tried to ban and smear JROTC units; and changed the name of Army Street to Martin Luther King Jr Blvd (then had to pay replace all the freeway signs because MLK Jr Blvd wouldn't fit on the exisiting signs.)

It's about as anti-military as it gets.

[Millee]

Do these freaks ever think above the waist???

[texson66]

I suggest that the Iowa have one last gunnery practice on SF as it enters SF Bay on its way to retirement!

[jjmcgo]

Everyone here hold your fire until you give this some consideration. Around the time of the Iowa explosion, we had a more serious military problem, the utter uselessness and corruption of Naval Intelligence, which first tried to blame the explosion as sabotage by a rebuffed gay sailor.
Testimony shot that explanation out of the water and an apology was issued to one of the families as another poster explained.
My recollection of what investigators think went wrong is that they were experimenting with smaller explosive packages in an effort to save money.

[dead]

The navy investigation came up with the spurned homosexual lover scenario.

A civilian investigation later came up with the overramming powder scenario.

Neither unwelcome ramming scenario was proven to have been the cause, but the conclusion of the civilian investigation became the favored one.

[Leapofaith]

Well, we would not desecrate her in Texas so bring her here. Why is this such an issue? Could it be because they do not like the military there? If they want all kinds of "concessions" to have the privilege of hosting this vessel why can't she come to friendlier waters where she would be honored?

[caisson71]

There must be a few more port towns more suitable and respectful of the memories of these great ships.

[dukeman]

I don't think you should be bringing up overramming in a gay activist thread.