Rep. Hunter slams idea to name Navy ship for Cesar Chavez

By Gary Robbins
Tuesday, May 17, 2011 at 1:20 p.m.

Duncan Hunter, a former Marine, represents California's 52nd Congressional District, which is composed of eastern and northern San Diego County.

Duncan Hunter, the conservative Republican who represents eastern and northern San Diego County, today criticized the Navy's decision to name the last Lewis and Clark-class Navy dry cargo ship after Cesar Chavez, the later labor leader and civil rights activist.

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus is scheduled to visit General Dynamics NASSCO to formally name the vessel after Chavez. The name was suggested by NASSCO, which is located in Barrio Logan and whose workforce is about 60 percent Hispanic. NASSCO recently laid the keel of the ship, which will be launched in late 2012..

Hunter, a former Marine, said in a statement on Tuesday, “This decision shows the direction the Navy is heading. Naming a ship after Cesar 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.

“If this decision were about recognizing the Hispanic community’s contribution to our nation, many other names come to mind, including Marine Corps Sergeant Rafael Peralta, who was nominated for the Medal of Honor for action in Iraq. Peralta is one of many Hispanic war heroes—some of whom are worthy of the same recognition.

“And we cannot forget about John Finn, a lifelong San Diego resident who won the Medal of Honor for what he did during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Finn is another worthy candidate that was evidently overlooked in the selection process.â€