Navy names ship for former congresswoman Giffords

AP ^ | February 10, 2012

[stevie_d_64]

..WASHINGTON (AP) — The Navy has named a ship for Gabrielle Giffords, the recently retired congresswoman from Arizona who is recovering from a gunshot wound to the head received in January 2011.

In a ceremony at the Pentagon, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus unveiled an artist's rendering of the USS Gabrielle Giffords.

The littoral combat ship is among the Navy's most versatile and can operate in shallower coastal waters than larger ships.

Mabus said: "God bless the USS Gabrielle Giffords and all who sail in her."

Mabus also announced that the ship's "sponsor" is Roxanna Green. She's the mother of Christina-Taylor Green. The 9-year-old who was among six people killed in the shooting. Thirteen, including Giffords, were wounded. The sponsor's initials will be welded into the keel of the ship.

[sten]

why are they renaming the USS Cole?

[skeeter]

Now even communist farm union organizers can get their own navy ship.

[bigbob]

Coming soon: Naming rights:

“In a ceremony at the Pentagon, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus unveiled an artist’s rendering of the USS Solyndra”

[Cicero]

I’m glad to see so many people had the same reaction as I did. It’s not even a question of trying to honor Gabrielle Giffords by doing this. The sole purpose is to keep the issue alive as a tool for improving Obama’s election chances.

They could care less about Giffords. They are USING her, as a political tool.

[YankeeReb]

There are dozens of other ways to honor Rep Giffords, but this practice of naming ships after individuals who had nothing to do with the military really bothers me.

Amen. Look how long it took for us to get a USS Ronald Reagan, and no President in my lifetime was a bigger supporter of the Navy and the military in general than he was.

I suppose it could be worse, we could get the USS Baraq Hussein Obama (MMM MMM MMM)

[Venturer]

Exactly, this is Pandering pure and simple, and it aint right.

They should have named it Seal Team 6.

[tpuskett]

This reminds me of Eric Klinghaufer getting the “metal of honor “ for getting thrown off the Achille Lauro passenger ship in his wheel chair by a Palestinian. You can’t make up how misplaced that is. A”hero” is someone who does something beyond the call of regular duty and who stands out and usually kills a bunch of enemy soldiers. Standing there getting shot does not make one an icon. Did she save anybody? Have we lost our collective mind? I can’t even fathom how bad the navy must be these days.

[skeeter]

The Brits had their HMS Terror, Indomitable, Eagle & Warspite. The US had their USS Enterprise, Texas, Kidd, & Bonhomme Richard.

I guess the modern sailor finding himself (or herself) fighting aboard the Gabby Giffords is just another sign of the times.

[alpo]

I read someplace that the SSN-23 (jimma carter) is the only Navy boat known by it’s sail number and has no nickname.

[hal ogen]

I really don’t think she deserved to have even a single fitting on the ship named for her.

[Toespi]

Honor her for what? She survived, others died that day, including a little girl. She wasn’t in combat, she didn’t take a bullet for anyone, and it wasn’t a terrorist attack. She was giving a speech in a public forum to sell her political agenda, she was shot by a crazy man, she fell to the ground, was rushed to the hospital and instinctively fought to live. She didnt save anyones life that day. It is a slap in the face to every real hero in this country.

[Jewbacca]

“This reminds me of Eric Klinghaufer getting the “metal of honor “ for getting thrown off the Achille Lauro passenger ship in his wheel chair by a Palestinian.”

I think you meant Leon Klinghoffer.

And he was not awarded the Medal of Honor, but merely recommnended for the Congressional Gold Medal of Achievement, which is a civilian award, recommended because Klinhoffer refused to back down to the terrorists, even in the when they theatened him with death.

I don’t believe the award was ultimately granted.

[Jewbacca]

How about Purple Hearts for the soldiers shot/murdered in the course of the War on Terror by the terrorist doctor in Texas?

[Chode]

and America takes another one in the........

[CWSNTEXAS]

What’s next? The SS Criminal Biatch?

Oh......I meant SS Nancy Pelosi.

[tanknetter]

Look how long it took for us to get a USS Ronald Reagan

Respectfully, CVN-76 was the first carrier ordered after Reagan left office. It would have been completely inappropriate, very unseemly, to have a carrier named after him while he was still in office.

CVN-75 was the last carrier ordered while Reagan was President - in mid-1988. It was originally to be named the "USS United States", but the name was changed to "Harry S Truman" at about the same time CVN-76 was named.

Two points: First, having a carrier of all things named after Truman is an abomination. Just google "Revolt of the Admirals 1949" or "USS United States CVB-58" to understand why.

Second, it's somewhat poetic to have Reagan's name hung on a ship carrying the number "76" given the relevance of that number to our nation.

[AmusedBystander]

So wrong for so many reasons.

[Jay Santos CP]

Let me suggest renaming all the MLK Avenues and Esplanades for Gabby Giffords as well.

[twister881]

Mabus is a ‘Rat b@$t@rd who early on endorsed and made 300+ campaign appearances for B. Hussein Soetero. Failed and defeated governor of Mississippi, whose first priority as SecNav is “green energy.” And of course, he's the genius who is pushing for naming a Navy vessel after the traitor Murtha.

If that isn't enough: “In 1998, Mabus secretly tape recorded conversations he had with his then-wife Julie and a mutual friend (a priest) in attempts to resolve marital difficulties. The conversations provided a basis for Mabus to obtain sole legal custody of the children from that marriage.”

Total @-hole.

[Fresh Wind]

How about the USS Palin’s Fault?