It was all set up. Senator Dianne Feinstein had lined up three million bucks so that the Iowa could be towed there to become a museum ship at Fisherman’s Wharf. But she didn’t count on the short sighted and petty little shitstains that make up the city’s Board of Supervisors.
They voted 8-3 to reject the ship, thus putting the lie to the assertion that all liberals respect military service. Not all do, and San Francisco apparantly is full of that worthless crowd that does not.
I have said very nice things about San Francisco in the past. I’ve always had a good time when I’ve gone there. But with this action, the city is telling me that my service as a Navy veteran isn’t respected by them, and that they are in fact hostile to it. If they wouldn’t welcome this warship, they wouldn’t welcome me.
It’ll be a long time before I spend another dime in that city. When I head out to the bay area, I’ll stay in San Jose. Hell, I moght even go to Stockton. It isn’t everyday you get to tour a battleship, and the Iowa is going to be docked there.
Really? You shouldn’t use your philosophy to make decisions? What, pray tell, are you supposed to use?
So you want the city to spend some unknown amount of money building a dock, providing services and supporting the museum for some possible tourism dollars from visitors to a museum they don’t want nor think will necessarily be profitable? Do you think that laurels should be thrown at hardware just because it was military? At what point is honoring the service idolization?
Well I for one would like to say that sucks major donkey balls. I would have loved to go see the ship. Don’t they already have a ship by the warf? Or was that something else? I could have sworn we saw an old, military style ship (it was west of Pier 39 by an old, arcade museum…if that helps at all).
I can understand being against the war and military policy, but this is a piece of HISTORY.
Don’t worry, plenty of other cities or states would be happy to have her. New Jersey fought hard to get the New Jersey and even fought over which part of the state would get her.
I would suspect that other Pacific Coast cities will line up to give the Iowa a home.
Stray thought: I wonder how they would feel about the Navy pulling out of Frisco and moving to another city.
I’m not trying to defend SanFran at all (I think their actions are somewhat silly here), but wouldn’t it be cool to ship the ship to Iowa? Des Moines could prolly use another tourist attraction, eh?
Well, San Francisco does host a National Maritime Park, with other ships open for tours. One of them is a WWII-era submarine, the USS Pampanito.
In addition, in the Fisherman’s Wharf area is a restored Liberty ship, the SS Jeremiah O’Brien.
Of course, these well-attended museums were established before the current unpleasantness, by people inclined to be reasonable about American history. This contrasts rather starkly with the current board, to it’s detriment.
Not any more. The Navy handed off all operations to the NASA Ames Research Center, and all of the housing units were handed off to the Air Force. (See my link above).
Ah yes. So what is the difference? I mean, really? Why have that sub (and other ships) but not this ship? It seems to me that the new ship would be a lovely addition to their current displays.
I do understand Mr. Moto’s point about the fact that the other exhibits were previously placed. Maybe I just don’t get it because I seperate a cool historic item from current political BS.
Ok, maybe I’m just bitter because I love historic ships and now I’m going to have to travel further to see it. Damn diddly doo.
I (gay, liberal, anti-war, lives in the San Francisco Bay area, but not actually in SF, so I can’t not vote for these putzes next election) was pretty pissed about this decision, too, but turns out there was an upside afterall: Mr. Moto’s hilarious, self-important, self-pitying over-reaction.
Don’t ever think you won’t be welcome here, Mr. Moto. San Francisco loves drama queens.
Wherein Mr. Moto raises a strawman, assumes facts not in evidence (that the board members are all liberals) and broadens a brush from 11 people to an entire city, thus putting the lie to the assertion that Mr. Moto can think for shit. Or at least that he can be bothered to when there’s “lib’ruls” to be bashed.
Seriously man, this is lazier than pre-grated carrots right here.
I’m rooting for Feinstein on this one, because I can’t wait for Victorville to get a crack at this and stick this big 'o sucker on the mud flats of the Mojave River. Gold, Jerry…I tell ya, pure Gold!
Indeed. Well there ya go. I also somehow missed the Stockton thing :wally But really, Stockton? I guess I can have a reason to go to Ye Olde Mystery House But yeah, I’m with Feinstein for the open bidding: you can do it San Diego!..San Diego is way cooler than Stockton.
Anyway, I get that the Navy was stupid- not the first time, never shall it be the last. But once again: this is a piece of history. Would San Fran turn away some relic from Nazi Germany because it was associated with hate? (A silly example, I know-- just the first thing that came to mind… please don’t hurt me.)
Was it specifically the Iowa? Or would they turn away any new naval ships?*
*If this is mentioned in one of the articles, I apologize. Babysitting and skimming are my friends!
No wonder they don’t want the Iowa.