New Navy ship named after Gabrielle Giffords

[DesertRat]

Awesome!

The Navy on Friday named its newest combat ship after former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who attended the Pentagon event with the mother of a 9-year-old girl slain in the Tucson shooting rampage that left Giffords gravely wounded.

The 3,000-ton ship, known as an Independence Variant Littoral, will be built in Mobile, Ala., by Austal shipbuilding, as part of the Navy’s strategy to provide access and dominance in coastal waters, according to NBC News.

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus made the announcement before a gathering at the Pentagon’s Center Courtyard. "It's a major part of the future of our Navy," he said about the vessel, which measures 419 feet in length and can travel in excess of 40 knots. "She's going to provide our Navy and country with fast and flexible capability ... this ship can perform an amazing variety of missions."

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/10/10374860-new-navy-ship-named-after-gabrielle-giffords

[unionworks]

1. OMG

Major SALUTE to NAVY for CLASS and STYLE! HATS OFF TO NAVY!

[unionworks]

2. honest to God

This made me cry tears of PRIDE

[Ratty]

3. Oh how this will stick in certain craws

I apologize that that was my first thought. Second thought: Yay!

[DesertRat]

4. It was disheartening to read some of the comments under the story

[DaveJ]

5. Probably nothing to worry about

No offense to anyone, but I personally think of people who read and comment on msnbc.com with people who are too lazy to change the default homepage on the IE browsers. So they are certainly too lazy to vote as well. But yeah it is disheartening that many, if not most, people are simply primates. They are everywhere.

[Carolina]

12. disheartening and more

because many posters had served in the military and yet were/are anything but honorable, revealing all that's wrong with this nation through their loathsome words.

Little intelligence and much hate... this country is truly doomed

[MMJjestic]

6. Would it be better if it was a hospital ship?

I mean it is nice for the Navy to do that, but do we need more toys for the military industrial complex? I mean let us be honest, if this was named for Bush, Cheney or Rumsfeld or some other Republican would all of you be happy? A ship of violence named for a victim of violence. mmmmmmm

[Bjorn Against]

7. So they honor a shooting victim with a ship that will send soldiers off to shoot more people in war

I personally think a symbol of peace would be a much better way to honor a victim of violence than a symbol of war.

[grahamhgreen]

14. +1. A school or college or something.

[Liberal_in_LA]

8. nice

[onehandle]

9. Wow. Did not see that coming. Nice. nt

[2Design]

10. oxymoron - a weapon of mass destruction - sorry name a airport or a bridge but not something that

can be used to harm people - just that was my first thought

[ffr]

11. It symbolizes everything the shooter didn't want to see happen

And in that regard, it's a good thing. Congrats Congresswoman Giffords!

[unhappycamper]

13. Austral's LCS record isn't exactly impressive.

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/06/shipbuilder-blames-navy-as-brand-new-warship-disintegrates/