Did you help build the McCain?

Did a loved one or someone else you know? Were they among the thousands of Mainers (read: Americans) who built it for our Navy at Bath Iron Works?

My father, a son of immigrants, did. And my maternal grandfather served in the Navy and later helped build many ships for it at BIW. If you had told me five, 10 or 20 years ago that anyone in or out of the military would see to it a Navy ship's name be kept from sight during a presidential visit overseas, I would have doubted it. No, I would have called it absurd.

In 2019, it's absurd.

From all I've read, the president was not involved in any of the hiding the national media have said was done of the USS McCain or its name during his Japan visit. The sources in those reports have said it was in deference to the president's stated views on the longtime POW and late senator from Arizona.

The takeaway in this latest international head-scratcher is not about finger-pointing. It's that it happened at all – that such a thing would even occur to anyone. Where are we now, that it would?

And where are we going?

Week's positive parting thoughts:

• At the Boothbay Register and Wiscasset Newspaper, we've put our usual many months into another year of free special publications, the magazine-style supplements that help you plan your summer and more. We're putting the finishing touches on the last of the season, Dining Guide, and we can't wait to get it out to you. Thank you, advertisers, for your support on these and our print and web publications year round.
• Congratulations, Class of 2019. Take a selfie. You did it, together.