How does having a Support The Troops sticker on your car help the troops?

[begin_within]

Or standing on a corner holding up a "Support the Troops" sign? How do these actions help the troops at all? They will never see these until they are back home.

[wtmusic]

1. It doesn't, it just means you're gullible nt

[YOY]

2. They don't help the troops...they help the sign-carriers from having

to ponder the situation morally.

[NAO]

3. Federal Income Taxes are what REALLY support the troops

not magnetic bumper stickers.

People support the troops by paying their Federal Income Taxes. Any tax cuts by elected officials, any attempts by clever accountants to reduce your tax liability - any estate planning that attempts to reduce your federal income tax - all of these are at the core an attempt to undermine the support of the troops.

[FreedomAngel82]

5. Doesn't China make those stickers?

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. I want one that says

"I Support Chinese Ribbon Makers"

[MADem]

9. And the irony is, the troops and retirees support themselves

They pay federal income tax on their shitty incomes!!!

[tularetom]

19. And even bitching about your taxes

Means you don't support the troops.

[FreedomAngel82]

4. Doesn't do anything

While they're standing there holding their signs Veterans are being cut by the republicans so their rich friends can get more tax cuts and become even more wealthy. *sigh*

[rosesaylavee]

6. Makes them feel self-righteous, morally superior to those

who think this war is illegal.

[99Pancakes]

7. Draft the Bush Twins

[Gemini Cat]

8. It helps China a lot.

It doesn't help the troops at all.

[DanCa]

10. I am sure there more for supporting those who got us into the mess

Just as am sure a soldier would rather have a phone card, and body armor. Oh and an exit date or strategy would be something to throw in there too.

[OzarkDem]

11. How does having a pink ribbon magnet

help end breast cancer? It doesn't.

[proud2BlibKansan]

23. The proceeds for the sale of those ribbons

go to breast cancer research.

[Berry Cool]

24. Maybe so, but not all pink ribbon stuff has profits going anywhere

but to the manufacturer.

People should not assume that every time they buy something pink-ribbon, that "profits are going to breast cancer research."

They should ask questions, such as:

1. Does the package SAY so? (If not, the profit's all going into the manufacturer's pocket, and you've just been had.)

2. If it does, WHICH organization is getting money? Is it the Susan G. Komen Foundation, which already has more money than it knows what to do with and is run by a Bush Pioneer?

3. If it's some other organization, where's the money going? Just to research "a cure," or toward possible prevention of the disease in the first place? Toward making the disease "non-life-threatening," or just plain trying to get RID of it? Is the organization sponsored by drug companies with a vested interest in keeping the disease going so they can sell more treatments?

4. What cut of the profits is going to the organization? If it's a measly 5 or 10 cents, what's the point?

One of the problems with the world today is that people don't want to WORK for change. They like being "slacktivists." They want to be able to just BUY something and slap it on their cars or bodies and then be able to go around feeling good about themselves because "I support the troops" or "I'm against breast cancer" or what have you. Well, you can't change the world just by buying stuff. The sooner some people know that, the better.

[proud2BlibKansan]

30. For many who buy these ribbons,

that act is the only thing they will ever do to support a cause. So buying the ribbon is better than doing nothing at all.

[LittleClarkie]

12. Well, having one next to your "Enough is Enough: vote Dem" sticker

might help someone to realize they can be against the war and yet support the troops, esp. in making sure they are taken care of properly when they get home.

[Clark2008]

26. During the primaries, Clarkies had stickers that said:

"Support Out Troops! Elect One."

I think Kerry ended up using that one, too, once he won the primary.

[nevergiveup]

13. Support the troops ribbons are mostly made in

China and it is therefore good for China's economy which is important because they loan us money to help cover some of the massive US debt which is a mostly a result of the war. :crazy:

[fearnobush]

14. It hurts the troops, these people have no idea how duped they are.

The Bush cartel has cut vet benefits across the board and no media seems to care. These .99 cent, made in China, ribbon warriors have no idea how screwed our vets have become under the regime. Go ask Rep. Chris Smith (R) who fired from heading the Vets affairs committee. Delay fired him because he spoke out for the vets to be properly funded. Why he still is an R is beyond me.

[agincourt]

15. It makes people who voted for Bush,

feel less guilty for putting our servicemen and women through an unnecessary hell. It also makes people who voted for a criminal gov't feel more patriotic.

[TahitiNut]

16. Well, when they drive by some vets on the sidewalk and splash them ...

... the vets will get a warm fuzzy that they've been drenched by a supporter. :sarcasm:

[Traveling_Home]

17. Well Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore

copyright John Prine from 1972 Album - John Prine

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.

[unhappycamper]

18. Here's my "Support the Troops" sign:

on edit: to add second pic

[SammyWinstonJack]

21. Beats me! I would never have one of those on my vehicle!

It's embarrassing, much like those "Proud to be American" stickers. What are they so damned proud of?

[Lexingtonian]

22. It helps your friends consider you a fellow Kool-aid drinker

and makes soldiers' wives coming back from a night at his best friend's place feel guilty.

Sorry, that was pretty cruel.

Most of it is friends and relatives of military people who don't know what else to do to cheer them up and get them out of the depression of contemplating wasted years of life, if not destruction of limbs or life itself, on the Iraq thing. It's a variety of the helpless/shared illusion "Have a nice day!" and "Chin up!" culture on one level.

There's covert level, the fundies and True Believers. George Bush has given them a war that has run according to magical thinking and magic rituals and magic rationales. A big element of the belief system involved is the idea that 'willpower'- relentless desire, expressed in shouts and expressions and socalled prayers (aka spellcasting)- exerts an effect at a distance. It's the same thing as "we're praying for you" from these nuts: they figure that they are actually doing something in a great Divine or Collective Conscience power field that ends up affecting material things. If you don't believe me, listen to them talk. This 'Prayer Warrior' shit/superstitionism runs far and wide and deep.

[mopaul]

25. and how does criticizing the war HURT the troops?

things don't have to make sense anymore i guess.

[mwb970]

27. I wish Tony Orlando had never recorded that stupid song.

Ever since the emetic "Tie A Yellow Ribbon" song appeared, Americans have been obsessed with symbolic ribbons representing every cause in the world.

Unless the proceeds from the sales actually go to the cause in question, I don't see that they do any good at all. They seem to say "I care, but not very much".

[ComerPerro]

28. It makes you feel like a big shot, and you can pretend to be compassionate

[HughBeaumont]

29. Especially considering that most of them are found on gashog SUVs

and other assorted house-like vehicles that I can't see around . . . which is the very reason we're over there. Contradiction only confuses.

[HughLefty1]

31. Gee...

I'm new here I guess I already need to change my avatar.

I totally agree the only ones benefitting from the stickers are the manufacturers and the stores who sell them. As if spending $2.50 in the 7-11 for a 'I support the troops' sticker is actually helping anyone in our armed services. You'd be better served sending the money directly to someone actually serving in our military.

[Roland99]

32. A friend of mine, a science teacher in the next county, told me...

they have Support Our Troops days on Friday. They can wear red (part of the school's colors) as a way to show support.

I asked her why they didn't do something worthwhile like putting together some care packages. She said it was just a way to get the kids to do something. I didn't push the issue (she knows my anti-* stance and her newlywed husband just got back from a year in Afghanistan.)

BUT, she's staunchly anti-NCLB. Says it removes the teaching of creativity in kids and teaches them to take a test.

[RebelOne]

33. I have a support the troops sticker on my car, but it

reads "Support The Troops Bring Them Home." And my 2 ribbon stickers read "U.S. Out Of Iraq," "Bring Them Home."