Those stupid yellow ribbons are everywhere, and they're pissing me off

[Stevendsmith]

They don't mean support the troops, they mean support the war.

They are a talisman against the reality that a gang of the most amoral war-profiteering swine this country has ever known has lied the dirt-poor troops into a bloody, cosmically expensive, and wholly unnecessary quagmire with no end in sight, so Halliburton, Boeing, and Lockheed can reap maximum fortune.

God, I'm sick and tired of being surrounded by fucking Bush imbeciles.

[Dark]

1. I disagree.

I bought a ribbon because the proceeds went to help buy armor for the troops.

I DO support the troops. I DON'T support the war.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Zerex71]

31. Buying a ribbon takes no thought whatsoever.

That's not real support. It is, as the original poster mentioned, talismanic and meaningless. It is also a way to fit into a groupthink rather than taking a principled stand.

[AngryOldDem]

34. Same here

I bought one of those ribbons last year and put it next to my Kerry/Edwards sticker. A lot of people were surprised to see the two together. I liked the statement it made. I also support the troops. I DON'T support why they are where they are, and I DON'T support the people who sent them there. My support is in praying that the troops stay safe and they come home as soon as possible.

ON EDIT: What's really pissing me off are all the Bush/Cheney and W04 stickers I've been seeing lately. I see more today than I did during the election season. It's nauseating.

[leftofthedial]

2. they mean "I am religiously insane"

and "I support the wack job who is trying to destroy the planet"

[trotsky]

3. Why do you hate the troops?

Ha, just kidding. I feel the same way. People are being manipulated, being told that the ONLY way to support the troops is to support the war. And conversely, they're told that those who oppose the war hate our troops.

[liberalhistorian]

4. I'm not so sure I agree with that.

Many people I know with the ribbons are against the war but not the troops; some even have friends/family over there. You can show support and concern for the people forced to fight Bushco's war, and appreciation for their sacrifices, without showing support for the war itself.

[bahrbearian]

13. Then they should sport Pink Ribbons from Code Pink

[Eagle_Eye]

5. There are a bunch on trees in a park near where I live and

they have been there so long they are turning black and coming apart. I sure hope the idiots who put them up will take them down before they become litter.

[CottonBear]

6. "support the troops" is a command not an opinion.

"I support the troops" would be a different matter. I am sick of those ribbons too. My stepdaughter was here last week and put one on our car. I ammended it by adding "bring them home" with a sharpie marker. Now that she's gone back to her mom's house, I'm going to remove the ribbon.

[Walt Starr]

7. I have two support our troops ribbons and they mean I support the troops

because I sure as hell don't support the war.

[caledesi]

8. Me too. Plus, they are profiting from the sales of these "ribbons"..

NOTHING goes to the troops. Bastards!

[Stevendsmith]

9. I'd guess that 95 percent of the ribbon people are Bush supporters

Here's a good article on the subject.

http://www.irregulartimes.com/irregularribbons.html

[BOSSHOG]

10. My Sister in Law gave me one

that states "Got Freedom - thank a Vet" She and her family are very Republican but I thought it was a kind gesture since I am a Vet. I put it on the refrigerator in the garage. I'd never put one on my vehicle. They know I'm a slimeball liberal, but my 24 years in uniform and their combined total of zero keeps our political conversations to a minimum. In other words, they don't want to go there (with me.)

[GodlessBiker]

11. Someone should make a "Support the Troops - Bring Them Home" ribbon.

[jdots]

18. I completely support the troops

those made in China ribbons probably give as much money to our troups as lotterys give to schools.We need to help them and all the vets who are getting wasted by the neocons.The best way to support the troops is to stop the neocons.Maybe the bumper sticker should say " I support our Troops by not supporting the neocon's War "

[RamboLiberal]

20. Someone does make Bring them home ribbon

I have this and the yellow one on my car.

http://www.troopsribbon.com/purchase.html

[GodlessBiker]

27. Very cool. I've ordered one. Thanks.

[Mad_Dem_X]

22. I have a sticker that says that

It's a round white sticker w/a yellow ribbon on it.

[murielm99]

26. Someone does.

My husband has one of those. It is a magnetic yellow ribbon.

He bought it at a local convenience store.

[rockedthevoteinMA]

12. If you're talking about the ones on the SUVs (and cars), I saw

a clip on the local news a few months ago that said the magnets eat the paint off of cars.

I know what you mean though - I do get tired of seeing them everywhere.
The local paper ran an article about them. They found out that most are made in China, and the profits don't go to the troops, they go to the business that made them/sells them.

Though there are certain business *that do* sell ones made in America, where the money does go to support the troops.

[Warpy]

14. Some of those yellow ribbons represent contributions

to needed items the Fuckwit administration is denying to the military.

Some of them were bought at Wal Mart and stuck on the car antenna as a way to defray guilt because the driver has other things to do and hasn't gotten around to serving his country in any capacity save as mindless consumer and Bushbot.

I save my rage for yahoos in SUVs weaving all over the road because they've got a cig in one hand and a cell phone in the other and they're steering with their knees because they're too goddamned important to pull over until they finish the call and we oughta know that because of that stupid fish on the back of the car.

[hnsez]

15. IDEA: Lets flip them off with a 'yellow bird of peace'

[Benhurst]

16. Whenever I see one, I say,

"I like your gay pride ribbon!" It absolutely KILLS the wingnuts!

[catmandu57]

17. I saw one yesterday on a county

sheriffs car, now I don't mind it being on the car, but, they had it turned sideways like one of those jesus fish stickers. That I object to, there must be something about the separation of church and state that would apply here.

[Walt Starr]

19. Baloney!

I have mine turned sideways SO YOU CAN READ THE WORDS HORIZONTALLY!

Anybody who knows me would know that christianity would be the very last religion I would ever espouse.

[catmandu57]

21. I live in gawds country

the intention is very plain.

[Walt Starr]

28. Then the words must be upside down

otherwise the "fish" is pointing in the opposite direction than it should be!

[AValdoux]

24. OPTruth dog tags

Operation Truth (optruth.org) is selling dog tags that say "support the troops listen to them". You get 10 sets for a donation of $20. . There are so many organizations selling those ribbons now, does anyone know where the money goes. I heard the original maker is being undersold by different groups who have outsourced them to china.

AValdoux

[Roland99]

25. Get the blue ribbon! There was a thread up here a while back

[RebelOne]

29. See post #20 for link. n/t

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

30. War on the cheap for the armchair heroes.

Now that the fluttering flags have frayed, a new way of proclaiming their "patriotism".

[burn the bush]

32. Lets go around and dip all the tips of the yellow ribbons in red paint

as a symbol of the blood spilled.

[MostPeopleDO]

33. to me they represent America today

Cheap, cowardly, consumerist, helpless, overzealous, well-meaning, and moronic.
People come into my store all the time, buy a couple ribbons, slap it on their SUVs, and probably go home and masturbate in self-congratulation that they're such a patriot.
Even when I was a kid, mum tied an actual yellow ribbon onto the old oak tree. This is a fast food generation. Instant gratification.
Where the hell does this money even go? They're two dollars, and sold universally. However, they're all different. We sponsor charities at the store, and they all clearly indicate where the money is going, there isn't a damn thing written on these stupid magnets. If anything goes to the troops, which would surprise me, it's probably around ten percent.
Nothing more than fascist group-think.
Want to be a patriot? Do something intelligent. What if all these retards who buy magnets would donate blood? Joined the ACLU or Amnesty International? Worked at a soup kitchen? Joined the Peace Corps? Worked as a Scout leader or election volunteer or Meals on Wheels? If all these zombies chose to focus their energies constructively on any of the above, instead of doing the only thing they've been programmed to do(spend) the world would be a NOTICEABLY better place.
At least write a fucking letter to the troops. Its not like they'll ever see the magnet.

[TygrBright]

35. "God Bless Our Magnetic Ribbon Industry"...

...Seen on a car with a Kerry bumper sticker a couple of weeks ago.

I want me one of those!

eagerly,
Bright