Anybody else despise those Support Our Troops Bumper Stickers?

[thecorster]

First, may I say that I have respect for the military. I have many friends in the military (not in Iraq thank God).

But every time I see one of those GD yellow ribbon bumper stickers, I want to scream. "Support our Troops." What does that even mean? Do these people believe that's all it takes? Joining a fad and slapping a magnet on their Hummer?

To support the troops, I think you have to donate money to them, write them encouraging letters, send them a phone card, or join up.

Ways to disrespect the troops: Drive around in an SUV that gets 10 MPG, vote for a president who put them in harm's way without batting an eye, or buy yellow ribbon bumper stickers that capitalize on people's sentiments during wartime without giving any money back to the troops.

Am I the only one?

[BlueEyedSon]

1. I support war crimes, murder & torture. It gets us low gas prices!

Uh, wait....

[Ilsa]

2. Yeah, it makes me want to honk and ask them

what they are doing to support the troops. But we also have a lot of people from our NG unit deployed, no casualties yet, Thank God.

[leftofthedial]

3. especially the ones on SUVs

that should be a capital offense

[kaitykaity]

8. Exactly.

The Explorers and Excursions and all those behemoths
that get 5 mpg.

It's disgusting.

[SammyWinstonJack]

24. Especially the ones combined with the oval W 04 stickers

Those 'troop supporters' should be parked in front of their local recruiting office, regardless of age or gender.

[beanball]

71. Phony support for the military

down here in Arizona,the con fused, neo nuts,and the rowdy rednecks,love their troops and theirm AWOL prez.There is a sign outside the maingate at one of southern Arizona largest military post,"We support the troops and our president."I've always wondered who the heck is the we.

[lonestarnot]

4. Support the troops....donate a leg, donate an arm, donate a finger,

donate an eye, donate a donut. Enlist...if you must, but donate the money that you spend on that fucking detestable yellow ass ribbon shit before you look like a dumb ass and put it on something you drive every day.

[thecorster]

6. that's what I'm saying!

x( :)

[seabeyond]

5. the sticker that offends me the most.....UNITED WE STAND

not even. and how dare you tell me i stand united when i dont. everyone one i want to walk to the person and say i do not stand with you

[Sparkly]

7. I agree -- I HATE that one!!!

:mad:

[ben_thayer]

29. "United we're SCAMMED!"

:P

[bunkerbuster1]

52. What's really sad is, I used to have a "United We Stand" flag decal.

I put it in the back window of my car a week or two after 9/11/01--a vendor I worked with gave it to me.

We'd just moved from the NYC metro area to the Southeast, and I felt it was my way of showing that all of us Americans were in this together. I didn't think it was jingoistic in any way; I just wanted to have some sign of solidarity with my fallen brothers and sisters in my old stomping grounds.

Times change.

[Nite Owl]

9. Talk the talk but don't

walk the walk cons. Ever see one of those ribbons on a Hummer? Outrageous. I wish I had little Saudi flags to stick next to them. They aren't for America, they are for the foreign oil.

Support the troops, Bring them home.

[BiggJawn]

10. No, you're not.

But I like the black ribbon magnets that say "Bush Lied. Men Died."

Wonder how many of those SUV cargos with their MIC-ISTP magnets have called their congress-critter with concerns about cuts in Veteran's Bennies?

Nawwwwwww.....

(MIC-ISTP=Made In China-I Support The Troops)

[alfredo]

11. Place the yellow sticker alongside another to

redefine supporting our troops. Put it next to a sticker that says, "Impeach Bush."

[thecorster]

13. yeah, those are the best

the ones that have two or three of the same stickers. MAN! You must REALLY support the troops!

[Bouncy Ball]

22. Have you ever seen a Hummer

with American flags from sticks on every window, American flag stickers on the back and six of those magnetic ribbons?

I have. Nearly puked right in my car when I saw it. I wanted to get out and start goosetepping and yelling "HEIL BUSH!!! ENDLESS WARS!!!!! U-S-A!!! U-S-A!!!! WAR IS GOOD!!! FOUR MORE WARS!! FOUR MORE WARS!!!"

Instead I just parked next to her and asked her what she does to support the troops when she came back out of Blockbuster. She drove off yelling "fuck you." I guess that was the only answer she could give.

[no name no slogan]

62. Damn. Too bad you didn't take a picture...

...and send it off to www.fuh2.com. I bet they would have put it up for you.

[Bouncy Ball]

66. It was the only time I wished I had a camera phone.

[alfredo]

49. I meant a differnt sticker like Impeach Bush, or Bring our

troops home.

[Bouncy Ball]

12. Here are the problems I have with them:

First I want to say people are free to put whatever the hell they want on their car.

That being said, I am free to express my opinions about it!

1. A lot of the companies making them have said part of the proceeds will go to support the troops. I have yet to see anything else about that, in fact, I have read since then that 100% of the profit goes to the company selling them. So much for "supporting the troops."

2. It's too easy. It's mindless. I've actually asked people with those magnetic ribbons on their cars what they've done to support the troops. I'm not mean about it, I'm very nice. I tell them as the family member of a veteran, since they obviously "support the troops" I'm wondering what they've done? Care packages? Phone cards? Letters? Support their families back home? The overwhelming answer is to stammer and then to insist they DO support the troops by pointing out...you guessed it...the magnetic ribbon!

That ribbon doesn't save lives. I think nine times out of ten it only serves to make the person feel better, to allow them to pat themselves on the back.

I asked my brother in law, before he was hurt in Mosul, by email, what he would rather people do to support the troops. He wrote "Get us out of this hell hole, that would be a start. Then contact lawmakers and insist they stop cutting veterans' benefits and medical coverage. That's another start."

He never mentioned ribbons on cars.

Take that few bucks and put it toward a pre-paid phone card so some grunt in Iraq making $18,000 a year (if that) can call his wife and babies back in Oklahoma. That ribbon on your car isn't going to help them at all.

[woo me with science]

36. exactly

A lot of them don't even claim to give money to the troops. They're just good sellers now, so people are making them and profiting from them. I agree, it makes much more sense to send a care package or buy a phone card for someone.

They remind me of that Bible verse against praying in public. They strike me as purely self-congratulatory.

[hfojvt]

65. it is more like a threat

the ribbon does not claim "I support our troops" it is more like a command to everyone who can read it - (you better) "support our troops" (or else).
It really means "don't you dare criticize the President, or oppose the war" or "don't say anything if our side engages in torture or wilfully slaughters civilians".
So if you support our team, you cannot complain even if the quarterback seems to be throwing passes to the other team.

[havocmom]

14. Jingoism annoys the bejeezes out of me! The folks who slap those on

yet refuse to be informed about what is really going on, about bags of $$ being handed out while troops cannot get what they need, who are too lazy to consider troops in danger because of lies, who won't raise a ruckus about war profiteers making a killing while policy to enable it is killing our personnel and innocent civilians... Yeah I despise stickers on their cars. They think the stickers are support enough. They think puffery passes for real support and concern. Saying you support troops is not enough. In a democracy, you have to strong arm your reps into doing your bidding. You don't giggle about tax cuts while vets get short shrift and active duty troops have to write home begging for basic supplies.

The ones belonging to people who are out there working to preserve benefits and work to expose the lies used to justify the invasion are OK.

[bush_is_wacko]

15. Exactly, but I have been seeing a few black and gold ones that

say support our troops, bring them home now! I have also noticed some other "creative" ones that say "support our troops, fire their commander in chief." These ones look as if they have been altered from the original by hand, but I have seen at least three of them recently. I really don't have any problem with these unless they are next to a W sticker and in that case you have to consider the messenger, I guess. Supporting our troops however is important and I think you mention some very valuable ways to let our troops know liberals are NOT their enemies!

[adarling]

16. we had a blue one that said send our troops home

Someone took it off our car:grr:

[Bouncy Ball]

20. Hmmm I guess some bushbot is trying to tell

you they want to keep the troops dying in Iraq. Very nice.

:grr:

[stepnw1f]

21. Put Another Back On

Keep doing so until THEY give up or you catch them taking it off.

[adarling]

75. yeah, i want to but...

Kinda hard to find it in this backwards state like Indiana, thank god i am only going to school here and not from here. ;-)

[stepnw1f]

17. Oil=Gas=Vehicle

They are in fact supporting the war for oil more than the Troops themselves.

On top of it all, the money made from selling these stickers is not necessarily going to the troops. It's political propaganda and a CON job.

[Cooley Hurd]

18. Blind nationalism itself gives me the creeps...

Reminds one of this:

[pstans]

19. The only place to get them in my town is Wal Mart.

I live in a town of 25,000 in Iowa and the only place to buy those ribbons is at Wal Mart. I thought that was kind of ironic. I was going to get one to throw off the people who don't like my Anti-Bu$h bumper stickers, but I don't shop at Wal Mart, so I guess I won't be getting one.

[Rob H.]

23. They piss me off, and so do the magnets

Everytime I see one I think, "Well, there's some money that could've been donated directly to members of the armed forces, but the owner decided to buy a useless bumpersticker/ribbon-shaped magnet instead. Nice going, jackass."


Edit: What's up with the magnets, anyway? Does that mean the driver supports the troops, but only wants to do it if it means not getting glue residue on his car? WTF?

[thecorster]

27. LOL

so true, man.

[HamstersFromHell]

44. Glue vs. Magnets

I think you hit it with the assumption that magnets are going to "harm" their precious SUV less than a glued sticker.

Fact of the matter is, unless they remove the magnet each time it rains or they wash their vehicles, it traps road dirt, moisture and oils under the magnet. Can you say paint damage and potential body rust through? I see 'em lined up at the car wash across the street from my bank each time I go, and I just shake my head at how ignorant they all are.

[Deja Q]

25. Annoyed with those ribbons, I made one of my own:

(as taken from my website:) )

(two popular 'ribbons' for two quite different causes; nevermind that the AIDS hype from the mid-90s was why that basic ribbon design first came about...)

...I came up with the following to commemorate two issues in one package. It not only addresses the troops, but it addresses that cancer issue too and makes everybody happy!

Now, YES, (the following is) satire. This whole concept of spending $5 for a dumb magnet that isn't even made in America for pity sake is beyond asinine and only goes to profit some callous jerkwad. Make your own sign, tape it to the inside of your car's back windscreen (or even above the gas tank if you so prefer), and give that $5 to some charity that will benefit the troops, breast cancer research, or anything else. The materialistic jingoism is nothing more than a petty waste of resources. Besides, it is better to remain anonymous when giving. It's otherwise sheer vanity to say how great you are because you donated $x amount...

[coffeenap]

69. First belly laugh of the day!!!!

[Elidor]

26. I was astonished to learn

That none of the money from these magnets actually goes to support the troops. It seems to me they should be licensed by a charitable organization, with all profits going to soldiers and their families.

I also have come to despise the word 'troops.'

[thecorster]

30. yeah, those magnets

have put a negative stigma in my mind, staining my perspective on the military. When someone says troops or soldiers, I immediately put up a defensive wall, associating the words with G Dub. Damn those magnets!

[RiDuvessa]

28. Why do you assume

that somebody that has the bumper sticker or magnet on their car hasn't done anything else to support the troops? A lot of the people who have those on their cars are parents or family members of troops.

[thecorster]

33. considering there are

150,000 people in Iraq and there are 295,552,078 people in the U.S., I don't think that a majority of people with magnets on their cars have family in Iraq. It seems like the magnets are a status symbol- insetad of leaving a "W-04" sticker on their car, they've switched to the "support our Troops" stickers.

For those people who have family in Iraq, I think the magnets have been trivialized by so many other people that they are all equally meaningless.

[Bouncy Ball]

39. Well I've ASKED loads of people who have those ribbons

what they've done and exactly TWO of them said they have sent pre-paid phone cards or care packages.

And where I live, there aren't a lot of family members of troops, as there would be closer to a post or base.

[Squeech]

31. Print out articles like this one and leave them on their windshields

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1268068

See who *really* supports the troops...

[ultraist]

32. A way to support the troops is to vote DEMOCRAT

[Radio_Lady]

34. I add my own sticker with a blue border...

It says,

"BRING THEM HOME IN ONE PEACE"

[yankeedem]

35. I HATE THEM HATE THEM HATE THEM

When you ask them how they support the troops, they say "they pray for them". Yea, that's what I would need when sitting in the friggin' desert with no armor and crappy food and people shooting at me. "Prayers".

How about getting them out of there?

[Stop_the_War]

37. ME! I'm with you on this!

[mainer]

38. A soldier's dad said in our local paper they infuriate him

There was an editorial in the Portland Press herald a few weeks ago, by the dad of a soldier in Iraq. He said that whenever he sees one of those made-in-China yellow ribbon magnets on an SUV he gets angry beyond words. He wants to rip them all off.

[0007]

40. I do for sure, in Midland Texas there is a new bumper sticker

that sez, "Don't Mess With George"

Bring the Troops Home Today

[Blue Diadem]

41. I have one on my car and

if anyone wants to support the troops, there is the website that explains what they need.

Here are the individual names to send to with detailed information for needs and the amount of troops they distribute items to..

http://www.anysoldier.com/WhereToSend/



Our school district has collections which go directly to the troops through another affiliation.

One of the things that really shocked me is that sometimes the ladies don't even have the necessary monthly items.

I may not agree with the war or this administration, but I know that the majority of those troops signed up and are just doing what they've been ordered to do. I had two brothers who survived VietNam, so I learned in Jr. High, that it's possible to support the troops but still be against the war.

[sweetheart]

42. They're really awful

I've just driven 4000 miles through 6 states, and those silly magnets
really are the most asinine. On my casual count, however, i saw more
kerry stickers than bush, and after those stupid troops magnets on SUV's
and mega pickups... "impeach bush" on that big black/yellow sticker.

Last time i checked, taxpayer americans support the troops, rather it
seems the magnet is for people who want to make it "in your face".
It seems being "in your face" is what bush is all about, so no suprise
that his jerkoff supporters put such slogans on their vehicles.

[HamstersFromHell]

43. Reminds me of a Vietnam era song by John Prine

Your Flag Decal Wont Get You Into Heaven Anymore

While digesting Reader's Digest
In the back of a dirty book store,
A plastic flag, with gum on the back,
Fell out on the floor.
Well, I picked it up and I ran outside
Slapped it on my window shield,
And if I could see old Betsy Ross
I'd tell her how good I feel.

Chorus:
But your flag decal won't get you Into Heaven any more.
They're already overcrowded from your dirty little war.
Now Jesus don't like killin' no matter what the reason's for,
And your flag decal won't get you Into Heaven any more.

Well, I went to the bank this morning
And the cashier he said to me,
"If you join the Christmas club We'll give you ten of them flags for free."
Well, I didn't mess around a bit
I took him up on what he said.
And I stuck them stickers all over my car
And one on my wife's forehead.

Repeat Chorus:

Well, I got my window shield so filled
With flags I couldn't see.
So, I ran the car upside a curb
And right into a tree.
By the time they got a doctor down
I was already dead.
And I'll never understand why the man
Standing in the Pearly Gates said...

"But your flag decal won't get you into Heaven any more.
We're already overcrowded from your dirty little war.
Now Jesus don't like killin' no matter what the reason's for,
And your flag decal won't get you into Heaven any more."

[thecorster]

45. thanks for that post

i've never heard that song, but I will definately look it up now.

[HamstersFromHell]

48. The entire album is awesome

It's maybe a bit dated in places, but he hits 'em out of the park on a lot of issues of the late 60's early 70's

Also on the same album is "Sam Stone" about a wounded vet coming home with a heroin addiction.

Album was his debut album, just self titled "John Prine" (1971)

Amazon link with with audio clips

Hope this helps!

[gulliver]

46. Heard a great piece on this on America Right (XM 166)

It may have been a guest piece. It was by a guy who had a Service Star in his window (maybe even a gold one -- can't recall).

The commentator described the yellow "support our troops" magnets perfectly. He said he found them "Ann Coulterish" cheap sentiments, meant to offend and to convey support for Bush more than the troops.

I sometimes listen to America Right when America Left (XM 167) gets boring. Sometimes I hear things I agree with. I was pleasantly surprised to hear this vehement essay against the magnet people.

[wolfgirl]

47. Actually I have

one of those stickers on my car...right next to my rather large/prominently placed Kerry/Edwards sticker and the stickers that say "My Son is in the Air Force"/"My Son is in the Navy"...also, I have ACLU and HRC stickers.

[Mist]

63. I have one next to my K/E bumper sticker too

And I don't drive an SUV! It's important to show that ALL kinds of people support the troops.

[Behind the Aegis]

50. Not as offensive as this one

"Your kid may be an honor student, but mine liberated a country!" I almost drove off the road! I want to know what country we liberated?

[bunkerbuster1]

51. I used to quote an Atriot in my sig line, and it read

"An SUV is a multi-thousand-dollar show of support for the Saudis. A 'sport da trupes' magnet is, what, $2.95? Two for a buck?"

[d_b]

53. The 'freedom isn't free' yellow magnet..

that's my favorite.

[thecorster]

54. Uhhhggg...

that one is gross. it implies you can put a price on freedom. what an ignorant slogan.

[Quixote1818]

55. How about a bumper sticker tha says: Support the troops but screw Bush?

[thecorster]

56. yeah, i thought of making one that says

something to the effect of, "I don't support the president because he's wrong." if anyone can think of a more eloquent way of phrasing this, I'd like to hear it.

[Quixote1818]

57. How about one that says "I don't support Bush because he is stupid"

[thecorster]

58. the lack of subtlty is good. n/t

[Walt Starr]

59. I've got two on my car and have been a DUer from the beginning

So there ya go.

[mwb970]

70. I'm afraid if I saw your car...

I would assume you were a right winger. Is this another thing they've stolen from us?

[KnowerOfLogic]

60. Yes. Those people don't know what 'support' is. nt.

[sagesnow]

61. I get some real snarly looks

at my bumper stickers from the rednecks in my red state. The flag draped coffin sticker says "WAR: a Weapon of Mass Destruction" and
came from www.carryabigsticker.com

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sagesnow/5479505/" title="Photo Sharing">
<img src="" width="240" height="116" alt="War A Weapon of Mass Destruction" /></a>

[Longhorn]

64. I've earned the right to display the two USMC yellow ribbon magnets

on my car. My son is a Marine. I also have a "Slash-W" sticker and a sticker that says, "I DID NOT VOTE 4 BUSH." I wear a black bracelet that also says "I DID NOT VOTE 4 BUSH," as well as a bracelet from herobracelets.org with the name of a soldier killed in Iraq. I've ordered two more bracelets, one for me and one for my son, bearing the name of a friend of his from boot camp who was killed in Iraq last September.

We don't live anywhere near a Marine base. The sons and daughters of America are serving from all over the country and even from other countries.

I detest this war, as does my son. Fortunately, he's currently stationed in Japan, but the way the Idiot Boy is carrying on with Korea, I worry that he'll be in harm's way over there next.

It bothers me to see the other yellow ribbon magnets but every time I pass another car (and I do that a lot in my Saleen Mustang convertible ;)) I hope they see my combination of stickers that show that I truly can support the troops (not the military, per se, but the men and women making the sacrifice) and be totally against this president at the same time.

[Deep N RedLand]

67. These things have always pissed me off!

I don't know if there's been a real increase or I've just been looking more closely, but there does seem to be A LOT more around lately. It seems even more hypocritical and angers me that about 70% of them seem to be on SUVs or other gas hogs like vans and giant "good ole boy" pick-ups. Of course by my estimate, this covers at least a third of the vehicles on the road, so it's hard to tell.

As someone previously mentioned, the worst are those with multiple ribbons. Add a flag and Bush/Cheney '04 sticker and you have a world class asshole sheeple. I even get the feeling some of these vehicles are being sold with the ribbons already in place...sort of a dealer patriotic package to go with their ragged, torn flags they proudly fly over their establishments.

I still haven't figured out if these people are really clueless, just thumbing their nose at us anti-war, anti-Bush realists or it's some kind of physical proof to ease their guilt at being a sheeple and driving a vanity vehicle.

I'd love nothing more that to display one of the great anti-ribbon stickers or SUV hating stickers I've seen on the Net, but would likely be just asking for it. Either because of their small penis (or for the ladies, anger over their husband/boyfriend's small penis), it's a proven fact SUV drivers are more aggressive on the road.

[mwb970]

68. They are very annoying.

The people sporting them clearly do not realize (or do not care?) that their Great Hero has SCREWED THE TROOPS at every opportunity. This new Veteran's Tax the R's have passed is just the latest way they've found to SCREW THE TROOPS. And the Bushbots merrily drive their SUVs with these stupid stickers on it like that makes it OK.

I have a temperature of 101° today. None of this is any better with fever chills.

[Joe Chi Minh]

72. I suspect

most of the servicemen currently serving in Iraq are smart enough to see through them.

It can't help any, when they are having their limbs, etc blown off, knowing that the leaders of these people were chickenhawks during the Vietnam war. I've never believed they were preponderantly Republicans. That's just traditional mendacious, Republican propaganda. Why would they be less smart than the rest of the population?

[ncrainbowgrrl]

73. How about this ribbon?

I made this earlier this year-I got tired of seeing those falsely patriotic magnets up on SUVs.

[kath]

74. There was a great commentary on NPR about this very issue a couple of

weeks ago:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4498757

[thecorster]

76. kick

:kick: