There was a time when ships of our Navy were named for incredible heroes, patriots, historic battles and landmarks -- those individuals so honored typically had served and given their all for our Country. Now enter Obama - Pelosi - Reid era of politics and their systematic effort to corrupt, humiliate and degrade our military, our history and our traditions --- corrupting the unique honor of naming ships for fallen heroes or for distinguished Presidents and a few legendary political leaders of extraordinary standing and character.
Naming a US Navy ship for recently-deceased Representative from Pennsylvania, John Murtha, is a disgusting act because Murtha himself was a disgrace -- not in any sense is he on par with Presidents Washington, Franklin and Theodore Roosevelt, Kennedy, Eisenhower, Reagan, or a Congressman like Carl Vinson or a Senator like Richard Russell or Scoop Jackson.
For a brief history of naming our naval vessels, see http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq63-1.htm . In addition, see http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/names.htm for examples of how the ships have been traditionally named over our history.
There is no doubt that Murtha, in his powerful position on the Appropriations Committee, funneled money to the USMC and the Navy. He also funneled millions in pork barrel projects to serve his political interest and his friends. Our military service chiefs are constantly challenged to acquire sufficient funding to keep our national security arsenal capable of meeting all challenges as they compete with the insatiable demands of entitlement programs and pork barrel projects of politicians. Those senior officers, of course, are compelled to make "command performances" too often to lend the appearance of credulity to purely political shenanigans. Such is the case here, whether they are able to confirm or not.
In essence, many times our military leadership shamefully must "go along to get along" in the political world. That, in itself, is a debilitating tragedy.
Murtha, the politician, was unethical, corrupt and arrogant with our money. He used it as if it were his own. He had no obvious sense of shame. It is a disgrace to name a US Navy ship for him. Get to know Jack Murtha better by reading the articles below which tell of his "exploits" -- simply disgusting, and this Administration thinks he is a worthy recipient of this honor. They are dead wrong, and they ignore remarkable men who sacrificed all for us, the list of deserving Americans is endless and this Obama crowd picks this embarrassing politician. More alarming, they know exactly what they are doing!
Here is the Michelle Malkin URL: http://townhall.com/columnists/MichelleMalkin/2010/02/12/john_murtha_requiem_for_a_corruptocrat
Here is the Jim Kouri commentary URL:
Please send a letter, a fax and email to your senators, your congressman and the Secretary of Navy decrying this travesty of honor, integrity and appropriateness.
Orson Swindle is a former Federal Trade Commissioner, Assistant Secretary of Commerce and career Marine Corps officer. Highly decorate for valor and performance, he was held a prisoner of war in Hanoi, Vietnam for over six years. He is a close personal friend of Senator John McCain and worked as a volunteer on McCain’s presidential campaign.
