"Cesar Chavez" ship angers GOP congressman

Cesar Chavez, the labor leader depicted in this portrait, is being honored by the Navy.

/ AP Photo/National Portrait Gallery

Updated at 5 p.m. ET

Conservative Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter of California is criticizing the Navy's decision to name a ship that is currently under construction after Cesar Chavez, the Mexican-American labor leader and civil rights activist.

Hunter, a Marine Corps veteran, released a statement Tuesday saying that the Navy's decision to name the ship after Chavez "goes right along with other recent decisions by the Navy that appear to be more about making a political statement than upholding the Navy's history and tradition."

Hunter says he learned about the plan to name the ship after Chavez from Navy officials. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus is officially announcing the name of the ship today, when he visits the company building the ship, General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO). The cargo ship is currently under construction in San Diego, a city partially represented by Hunter.

NASSCO spokesman James Gill said the company suggested naming the ship Cesar Chavez in honor of its majority Latino workforce and location in a traditionally Latino neighborhood, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

After Hunter released his statement, Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer of California released her own statement commending the decision.

"I applaud Secretary Mabus for continuing the Navy's rich tradition of naming these supply ships after pioneers, explorers and visionaries by honoring Cesar Chavez, who worked tirelessly to promote fair working conditions and equal rights for all Americans," she said. "This is a fitting tribute to Chavez, who served in the Navy, and follows the Navy's recent decisions to name other supply ships after American visionaries from Medgar Evers to Amelia Earhart to Lewis and Clark."

Chavez was a Navy veteran who enlisted at age 17 and served from 1946 to 1948. Hunter (whose father, former Rep. Duncan Hunter, Sr. was known in part for his hardline stance on immigration) said in his statement yesterday that if the Navy wished to recognize the Hispanic community's contributions to the U.S., there are many other choices.

He gave the examples of Marine Corps Sergeant Rafael Peralta, who was nominated for the Medal of Honor for action in Iraq, as well as John Finn, a San Diego resident who won the Medal of Honor for his service during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Joe Kasper, a spokesman for Hunter, told Hotsheet that "Chavez is quoted as saying that his time in the Navy was the worst two years of his life. And his background as a labor activist is hardly a qualification for naming a Navy ship after him."

"Congressman Hunter's point is that there are other individuals far better suited to have a ship of this type named after them," Kasper continued. "We are talking about a ship under construction in San Diego, which has a long and proud naval tradition. Chavez does not reflect that tradition--particularly given his strong feelings about his own service."

On the website for United Farm Workers -- the labor organization Chavez founded -- Chavez' biography says that "in addition to discrimination, he experienced strict regimentation" in the Navy.

Even some of Chavez's admirers question the decision to name a Navy ship after him, CNN reports.

"We're talking about a person who believed in nonviolence -- the absolute core belief was nonviolence," said Randy Shaw, the author of the 2008 book "Beyond the Fields: Cesar Chavez, the UFW and the Struggle for Justice in the 21st Century."

Conservative commentator Glenn Beck seized on the news on his radio program on Wednesday, the liberal watchdog group Media Matters points out, asking whether the next ship would be named the "USS Stalin or the USS Margaret Sanger." Sanger was a turn-of-the-century birth control activist.

Update: Hunter sent Mabus a letter today urging the Navy to still consider naming a ship after Peralta, even though the Navy remains committed to naming a ship after Chavez.

Naming this latest ship "after anyone other than hometown hero Rafael Peralta misses a valuable opportunity to honor the service and sacrifice of a U.S. Marine who was wrongfully denied the Medal of Honor," Hunter wrote, noting that Peralta received the Navy Cross, the second-highest award for valor in the Marine Corps, for his Iraq service.

"Even with this class of ships dedicated to visionaries and pioneers, there is no better choice than Sergeant Peralta for his service and sacrifice," he said.

[RobAla]

It does seem that Peralta would be a much better choice than Chavez. They usually name ships after Presidents, military heroes, or political figures supporting the military.

[hmm191]

The ships that are named after those you refer to in your post are what are considered "ships of the line", that is, actual US Navy warships, crewed by officers and enlisted men and women that are part of the Navy. The Chavez, while being a ship under naval control, will be a MSC (Military Sealift Command) vessel. Most of these are named for people who are significant in history, such as Lewis and Clark, and Sakajawea. Ships of the line receive heroes, presidents, senators, states, counties and cities. Support vessels are not in that class.

[imnho]

USS Cesar Chavez. I think its a great name for a ship

[bradkt1]

This is yet another phoney manufactured issue by a right wing Congressman trying to get attention and nothing more. To listen to Duncan Hunter, you would think that President Obama is going to name a ship after Nuey Newton or Eldridge Cleaver of the Black Panther Party.

Aircraft carriers have been named after John Stennis and Ronald Reagan...and a lot of Americans didn't agree with their policies. An aircraft carrier was named after George H.W. Bush, whose only claim to military fame was getting shot down in WW2.

The Navy has a history of making political statements when it names ships...and Republicans have used this to the max in the past. Now the shoe is on the other foot. There wasn't anything wrong per se with doing it when the Republicans did it and isn't anything wrong with a Democratic administration honoring Caesar Chavez.

That's called a consequence of winning elections. Get over it.

[webbsight]

The real question here should be why is it objectionable to name the ship after Chavez? Sure, one can argue for someone else to be named, but there always seems to be pushback anytime minorities in history that are significant due to their protests and efforts to achieve positive change are being recognized. What is so wrong with this. It's not going to be the end of the world if the ship is named after him. We are simply in denial of the fact that there is always hostility toward attempts at recognizing minority contributions to America's history.

[mjlewis6]

Peaceful demonstrations for civil rights and safety and dignified working conditions?

How does the Congressman rate for even having a street named after him for such negative talk about an American who truly put himself and the labor movement at risk for a better life? Those who fight for our security are truely heroes, and those who fight for equal justice for Americans are heroes as well. Just take the narrow vision glasses off, Mr. Hunter. He is an American who served his country and is recognized for his non-violent contribution to bettering his fellow man.

[hmm191]

Ahhhh...the essence of ignorance. As a Navy veteran, let me instruct some of you "blowhards" that I used to consider political compatriots (not that I consider Democrats as my compatriots, a pox on both your houses). This includes you, Rep. Hunter.

There are different types of naval vessels. One is a warship. The other is a support vessel. The difference? The warship is crewed exclusively by naval officers and enlisted personnel (of which I was one, 11 years active, medical discharge). The other has a skeleton crew of naval personnel, but is mostly crewed by civilian mariners.

USN warships are named for either states, cities, presidents, or men and women who have heroically dies in the line of duty (think Medal of Honor winners here). Sgt. Peralta, to do him the GREATEST honor, would have an Aegis destroyer named after him, not a support vessel, which is the type of vessel named for Mr. Chavez. Congressman, if you are really doing your job, and not allegedly being an idiot, I would get to know my naval vessels, to insure that I wasn't perceived as an idiot who couldn't get it together. Please, go to the shipyard that builds the newest type of destroyer, and have it christened the USS Peralta. NOW. NOW.

As for the Chavez ship...it is a SUPPORT vessel, and the previous ships have been named for people like Sakagawea (sic?) and Lewis and Clark. Pray tell, why weren't you upholders of American war heros crying in your soup over the naming of the prvious ships? I'll tell yoou why...you're racists. FOr those who use this as a chance to take a swipe at Mexican Americans by implying "illegality", Mr. CHavez was a US CITIZEN, and a VETERAN. Those of you who complain would probably have agreed with the restaurant owner in Sugarland, Texas, who refused Macario Garcia a cup of coffee because he was "Mexican"...yep...damn dirty Mexicans...it doesn't matter that this one had won the US Congressional Medal of Honor. For all you anti-Mexican American racists out there, nothing is good enough. But you shy your kids away from serving in the US Armed Forces...I know..I was a recruiter, and more whites told their kids that the Armed Forces were for "losers" and that they shouldn't join. So take your lily white sense of self, and get real. We aren't the problem. The guys that took all that bail out money...guess what? They looked like you. They love when they can focus your anger on minorities. That way, they can take more of your hard earned money. SO go ahead...be mad about a support ship named after Cesar Chavez, while the higher ups take more of your money. They love it when you don't pay attention

[AttyFAM]

Bravo!

[bradkt1]

What about naming an aircraft carrier for Senator John Stennis?

[koko98-2009]

Let's see, apostle of non-violence, the victor over conservative growers in California, he has hundreds of streets named for him, a Navy veteran. Nope no reason at all to name a ship after him.

[documemts]

If they can name a ship after Reagan, then I guess the USS Chavez sounds just as good.

[meboard]

"USS Cavez" rings better...

[firejack007]

Ch?vez described his experience in the military as "the two worst years of my life" and the Navy wants to name a ship after that communist? Whoever came up with this idea should be assigned to the worst station in the world. It probably wasn't the Navy but the Administration.

[retm-w]

Hey freejerk when did you serve?

[JeDaCo]

I walked the picket lines with Cesar Chavez and he richly deserves this honor. Just because Hunter was elected does not make him an expert on anything. In this case it shows that an elected fool is jealous of a real patriot. Cesar said the Navy was not a good place for him, not that he was not proud of his service nor the ones with which he served - indeed, he respected greatly those who serve our country in all capacities, from government workers to the military (more than we can say for low-life congressmen who ranks on civil servants at every turn).