Remember when U.S. Navy officials said they were naming a ship in Sioux City’s honor?
Remember how excited and supportive we were?
The city was asked to raise money for its launch and Siouxland residents responded.
We were all in, you might say, and cheered when it was launched and continued to support the sailors who occupied the ship. The Siouxland Chamber of Commerce even celebrated outstanding personnel each year.
Local businesses provided goods and services to make the place seem more like home.
And then? The Navy said it didn’t need the ship anymore. Littoral combat ships were plagued by mechanical issues and were considered a waste of money.
Sioux City’s commitment? No longer needed.
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Crew members are shown on the USS Sioux City prior to the ship departing Annapolis Nov. 18, 2018, down the Severn River to go to its home port…
At its very heart, this move sends an unsettling message. How, in all good conscience, can you tell a community “no thanks” when they open their hearts and pocketbooks to a project that the government can dismiss on a whim?
At the very least, those callous leaders should think before they leap. Naming something after a community isn’t something to be taken lightly and it should be recognized, not dismissed. A ship with a simple number could be discarded. A ship with a name can’t.
At the very least, the U.S. Navy and those who fund it should have researched the longevity of something like the USS Sioux City. Attaching the city’s name to something else would be the right thing to do.
Now, we realize, Siouxlanders would be wise to question everything about such projects and gauge the risk of getting involved.
We still support the fine men and women who served on the ship. We just wonder about those who authorized it.
Next time there’s a naming opportunity, we need to think twice -- particularly when the U.S. government is involved.