What's this animus a few at DU have against yellow ribbon magnets?

[brentspeak]

Where is it written that merely having a "Support Our Troops" magnet on one's car makes one either a) a Bush supporter or Republican; or b) a supporter of the Iraq War?

(I don't have a yellow ribbon magnet, not like it should matter.)

[CottonBear]

1. "Support our Troops" is a command, not a statement or a policy position.

"I Support our Troops" would be a statement.

"Support our troops" is a command. The yellow ribbon magnet is frequently found on vehicles with lots of flags and W04 stickers.

[katinmn]

2. The yellow ribbons have come to symbolize America's apathy

about the death and destruction surrounding this illegal and immoral war that profits only the corporate fascists that now run this country.

[jedr]

22. well said and;

I have ask this before , if there is anyone here that doesn't support our troops , please say so and why.....I don't think that there is anyone here who doesn't support our troops....the magnets have become the american flag shoulder patch of the '70s... used by people who supported Nixon and the war but weren't going to leave their nice paying jobs to do it, but they felt they had the right to criticize those kids protesting, that were going to have to fight the war..... How anyone could support this war or this president is mind boggling and the magnets have become a symbol of that ignorance.

[katinmn]

28. The anti-war activists are the only ones that do support the troops.

Not only are we demanding that they be brought home now:

We are demanding accountability for the lack of armour that we have paid dearly for.

We are demanding that they have ready access to health care when they return.

The Bushbot pro-war group doesn't care that the money Congress keeps funneling to Bush for his war goes directly into the no-bid contractors pockets instead of to the troops and to reconstruction.

Why don't they love the troops enough to stand up for them? They think it's enough to slap on a ribbon from China and claim to be patriots. yeah, right.

[jedr]

37. How true;

And if the VFW supports the troops, why are they fighting this administration tooth and nail to help them. Instead they pander to him as he fights the war on the cheap and cuts their pay and benefits.

[gizmonic]

26. I saw an orange "Support our Troops" magnet today...

No other stickers on the car, just the ribbon magnet.

My first thought was that the color change was due to the yellow ribbon backlash. Don't know if this is a fluke or a new trend.

:hi:

[calimary]

68. No, maybe it's a higher alert-status.

It's just cheesy, to answer the question in the original post. And I think another DUer here put it very well - far too many of those cutesy little yellow ribbon magnets are riding around town on big-ass SUVs and other gas guzzlers, along with some bush/cheney or "w04" sticker. Which tells me, as a fellow motorist and war opponent that this is a self-absorbed individual who thinks "supporting the troops" is as easy as slapping a cheap-ass little car magnet from China on their bumper, and little else.

I saw a REALLY big big-ass steroidal pickup truck in the neighborhood one day, with the yellow ribbon sticker and an American flag sticker and, if you can believe it, a sticker that said "War IS the Answer"! I got REALLY angry. I wrote the following note and left it on the dashboard: "Is your yellow ribbon buying them MORE BODY ARMOR????? And by the way, war is NOT the answer!!!"

[intheflow]

3. The money spent on magnets doesn't support the troops.

So I think it strikes a lot of DUers as being an empty "rah-rah" pro-war freeper kind of statement.

[jillan]

4. The magnets are made in China. The troops don't get a penny

from them.

Somewhere in China is a very wealthy person.

[caledesi]

5. That is exactly the reason I oppose them. Profiteering from war. nt

[txindy]

And many of the troops get really ticked off at the magnets, too

Because no one is sacrificing anything for this war except them and they are insulted by the token display of 'patriotism' and 'support'.

[brentspeak]

9. That I can agree with

If the money made from the sale of the magnets goes anywhere other than to soldier funds, Veterans hospitals, etc., then I'm against them.

[CottonBear]

21. I was given one that was made in the USA

but I still didn't put it in my vehicle.

[txindy]

23. My favorites are the yellow ribbons that have completely faded

They're now pure white with lettering that is barely there. Oh, yeah, those are BIG supporters. :eyes: They can't even be bothered to get a new magnet!

[Gnostic]

45. well

I simply would have given it right BACK to whatever dunce gave it to me, and explain to him/her that I DO support our troops, by wanting them HOME, not by displaying my absolute indifference to this criminal frace by slapping one on my car, but thx anyway.

[CottonBear]

57. I couldn't do that because it was my stepdaughter who gave it to me.

She's a very sweet teenager with an uncle who is in the Air Force. She meant well. We put it on her dad's car for a while (until it faded), but only after I added (with a black Sharpie marker) "Bring Them Home."

[Gnostic]

62. Apologies

[CottonBear]

72. Accepted. You didn't know.

Actually, I may save your ribbon rant and use it on a Republican!

[Xenotime]

65. The money just goes to *

It's all his scam.

[enki23]

6. bathos

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=bathos

[spindoctor]

7. Its an empty statement, mostly fashionable

If the archives ever come back up I will repost my original rant here.

[Cleita]

8. I saw one on a car recently that also had a Mothers for Peace

bumpersticker stating her son was in the AF in Iraq.

I have seen many of those yellow support the troops magnets with liberal type bumper stickers accomanying them, so I don't think everyone feels that way.

If I find one that says, "Support the troops, impeach Bush", then I will put one on my car.

[sickinohio]

25. There is a bumper sticker out there

that says that. I have one, but can't remember where I ordered it. I wish I would have ordered two or three of them. If I find the website again, I'll let you know. Dang - I wish I could remember!!

[acmejack]

36. here

or
http://www.cafepress.com/shop/bumper-stickers/browse/store/impeachw.18708245

Here's the ribbon: http://www.just-say-why.com/bumperstickers.html

[sickinohio]

41. That's great

thank you - I going to order some of those right now!!!

[Cleita]

52. Thanks both of you. I'm ordering some too!

eom

[sickinohio]

61. I just ordered a bunch of bumper stickers

to add to my already covered car!! Happy shopping!!

[texpatriot2004]

10. The best thing I have seen to explain this yellow ribbon epidemic

"EMPTY SENTIMENT" and I think that is true. Put the yellow ribbon on the car and PRESTO you support the troops and generally * too. When I first saw these I thought they were being sold and that at least some of the profits would go to supporting the troops. Then I inquired and was told that wasn't the case at all. The yellow ribbons only help Americans to feel that they are supporting our troops. IMHO...EMPTY SENTIMENT!

[gratuitous]

11. Because it's a symbol of cheap grace

There are a lot of yellow ribbon magnets on the back end of large, gas-guzzline road hogs, being sported by people who won't undertake the least sacrifice for the troops they claim to support.

Consistent with the magical thinking that having a magnet on their vehicle somehow supports the troops, they are automatically suspicious of folks who don't have a fading magnet on their rig or a tattered flag flapping on their antenna.

It's a very similar mentality to the person who has the "Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven" bumper sticker who is often in church on a Sunday morning, but who is lying, cheating and stealing the other six days of the week.

The animus comes because the poor example they set has to be overcome by other folks who earnestly and sincerely support the troops but are appalled at the betrayal of the national trust by a crooked administration that has sent the troops haring off around the globe to further corporate interests at the expense of the citizens.

[msrbly]

12. Simply placing a magnet on your car

has come to be the lazy man's way of "supporting" anything.

[Lex]

13. Don't get suckered by empty symbols, is what I think.

Instead, DO something to support the troops.

My friends and I actually put together some care packages for the troops and had them sent over some months ago.

I think those magnet stickers are for the lazy.

[Cocoa]

14. I see them as ads for the war

at least the car owners are donating the ad space, it's not taxpayer money for a change.

[Career Prole]

15. As Americans, it is *understood* that we support our troops.

Then the Great Uniter and his henchmen turned "supporting the troops" into something else all together...if one didn't give one's blessing to the shrub doctrine then one wasn't "supporting the troops".

This is when the magnets were born.

I'm an American. I don't need an admonition from a bush voter to "support the troops", and I resent the implication that I need a reminder no matter how well-meaning...

[Brother Buzz]

31. What Career Prole says!

:thumbsup:

[Career Prole]

39. The better ribbon...

[Solly Mack]

16. Simple: far too many people sporting those magnets support Bush

and how can you support the troops if you support the man who sends them off to illegal wars?

It just doesn't geehaw.

You support the troops but vote for people who cut veteran benefits? who send soldiers off to war without protection? without enough water? without enough food? you cheat their paychecks? you ignore their families?...and I'm supposed to believe you support the troops?

That magnet means shit from anyone who supports this war

[Coexist]

17. I ordered a special one that said "Support the Chinese Sticker Industry"

someone else had come up with the idea - but I ordered one. I am a smart-ass - can't help it.

That magnet, along with my Darwin fish - were both stolen off of my car last weekend. Makes you laugh, doesn't it! My kids thought it was hysterical that a so-called Christian or Patriot would steal in public in this country.

[katinmn]

46. This one is more honest than the old yellow variety:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y58/katinmn/SUVribbon.bmp

[Arugula Latte]

18. My take on it is they're usually saying something like this:

"Shut up and toe the line, you can't criticize the war, too bad you don't like Bush or his policies, if you speak out you're unpatriotic."

That's how I take them, anyway.

[Rowdyboy]

19. I hate the damned song (Tie a Yellow Ribbon round the old oak tree)

Too damned sappy. Thus I find the symbol stupid-not offensive, just maudlin. I certainly don't have one but they really don't bother me.

[Ignoramus]

20. Invasion of the body snatchers

I dislike it because I don't perceive it as part of a grass roots movement. I cringe when I see them because I remember how distraught I was after the first war in Iraq, when it seemed like everyone around me turned into a blood thirsty ghoul. Since then I have had wide distrust of people around me, because I remember that all it takes is for their glorious leader to say the word and they all become killers.

I think of "support the troops" and yellow ribbons as the little sign in invasion of the body snatchers that they would exchange to make sure that someone is one of the snatched bodies.

I have a problem with the slogan "support the troops" too, because it is a scam, like "pro-life". It is a trap. If you say you don't support the troops, it means "you hate my kids". If you say you do support the troops, it means you agree with the orders they are following. Again, it's a test to see if you are one of the snatched bodies, or not, and to persuade you to group-think.

Another way to think about it is that the words are phrased rather oddly. "Support" the troops? It means to agree with them, not to give them money, or hold them over your head. Imagine saying "support saddam hussein's troops". Clearly in that case, the interpretation would be that you were suggesting should agree with the orders they are following, not that you have concern for the lives of the individual soldiers.

[pitohui]

24. evidence of accumulated experience

it's how wingers & stupid ppl signal to ea. other

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

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

[KharmaTrain]

29. "Made In China"

I told a local asshat who had one of those on his SUV to look where it was made. He said "Made In China". I said, yep, the money goes right to China to support THEIR troops. Have a nice day...

[Gnostic]

44. Awesome

Great. I love it.

[KharmaTrain]

48. Welcome To DU

Use it in good health

:hi:

cheers...

[Gnostic]

64. Thanks

For the welcome! Much appreciated.

Fantastic site. Wish I would have found it sooner. I had been wasting my time posting at Liberty Post for last 3 months, until I ticked off one of the rightie, religious, Isreal Firster nuts over there and the mod decided I was interfering with their fund drive to keep the site going by upsetting one or more of their nutcase contributors (only thing I can imagine since my posts were'nt rude or bigoted in any way whatsoever, but all THEIRS was).

[Gnostic]

30. Explanation

"Where is it written that merely having a "Support Our Troops" magnet on one's car makes one either a) a Bush supporter or Republican; or b) a supporter of the Iraq War?"

Breifly put, in the same way that NOT "supporting the troops" makes some of us automatic "traitors" and pinko commies, your trendy, "look how swell I am" little yellow support da troops ribbon magnet makes you pro-war and a supporter of it.

You see, the same age old trick of forcing people who otherwise in all good concious would be against this farce into actually supporting it all instead by using the guilt trip of accusing people of not "supporting the troops" can be applied here to those who display the trendy little yellow ribbons, but in the opposite.

Allow me to explain. I don't support the troops because I WANT THEM HOME and I want to see this FARCE ENDED once and for all. I want our troops home defending the people who pay their damn paychecks, like people in N.O. for instance, instead of fighting a farcical war ensuring that cronies like Cheney can buy another mansion and his crony corporations in Iraq continue to gorge themselves at the public trauff, all based on lies and deceptions. "Supporting our troops" is just another way for the fed-guv to cajole you into supporting the war itself by extension. Not too hard to figger out, is it? I don't and will not support them being over there, period. Get it now? But that's OK, you can keep your trendy little yellow magnet decal. It's a grand way of separating the sheeple from those who posess any amount of intelligence in this country.

[lutefisk]

32. It's not written anywhere what a lapel flag pin means either

But we all know what that means, too.

[Vox_Reason]

33. My favorites are the top 3 stickers here:

http://www.whitehouse.org/giftshop/stickers.asp

Perfectly nails the ribbon sticker thing!

[Gnostic]

38. LOL

Funny website, thx for posting that.

[Vox_Reason]

47. Welcome to DU!

:toast:

Whitehouse.org is one of my favorite humor sites. The reader mail link is uproariously funny, particularly the complete idiots who believe it's the real white house site, and who write confused messages wondering why the feedback page makes you check "I certify I'm no scumbag homo" and stuff like that. Like this one:

DATE = 08/20/2005
SUBJECT = Offencive Material
NAME = Anon
MESSAGE = For one,"I certify that I'm no scumbag homo". I had my kids try to send you a letter telling of the great achivements in Iraq and they said "Daddy, am i a scumbag homo?"!

:rofl:

[mcscajun]

34. Magnets are just another empty gesture for whatever cause.

There's no fund-raising involved, for the most part. It's just a command to others that you'd better agree. OTOH, we assume that, because so many times, that is what it means...but not always.

I can be against the war, support the troops, have a child in service, and not have a magnet. Does that make me bad? I can be for the war, for Bush, "support the troops" in word only, and proclaim how patriotic I am with a magnet, and do nothing else. Does that make me a patriot? Does that make me better than you without a magnet? I can be against the war, have a spouse in service, oppose Bush, and desperately want the troops home now, and have a magnet. Does that make me a repuke?

Who can tell?

Aside from the yellow ribbons, ribbons in general have become so ubiquitous as to become totally meaningless. You can't really draw attention to your cause when everyone else's cause is using the same symbol, and you have to get up close and personal to see what any particular ribbon is about.

[Gnostic]

35. Here's one

"you have to get up close and personal to see what any particular ribbon is about."

Indeed. But I have another idea. Let's get someone to make and distribute a bunch of those trendy, fashionable, little yellow "look how great I am" support the troops decals, but let's make em MUCH bigger this time, like big enough to see from a city block away, and let's put on it...

"I Support The Troops. BRING EM HOME!!"

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

40. Because it's fucking stupid.

[helderheid]

42. I have one - says support the troops - bring them home now

[nonconformist]

43. They're war souvenirs, lining the pockets of the war profiteers. nt

[MsTryska]

49. well around here there is a

high correlation between yellow ribbons, ginormous SUVs and W stickers.

[brentspeak]

51. In NJ, they're everywhere

But this state has gone 'Blue' in presidential elections for years. That's the cause of my confusion.

[MsTryska]

69. They have W stickers as well?

I live in GA and it hasn't been blue since Carter. *sigh*

[DanCa]

50. Tie the yellow ribbon around the old oak tree

was an anti war song if i am not mistaken. How a person displays his or hers patriotism is there own perogrotive. I personally would rather save money up and donate for phone cards or some such but that just me. I would also like to know whose making a buck off the magnets.

[Touchdown]

53. What makes you think that spending $2.50 on...

a cheap chinese made magnet actually supports the troops? What part of that $2.50 is going for candy, razor blades, true crime novels, walkman batteries, or moistened butt wipes?

That is...If I'm allowed to answer with a question.

[DanCa]

58. If I were to put soda in my cofee mug would it still be a cofee mug?

And what would chairs look like if our knees were put on backwards. Okay my meds are kicking in. :D

[Touchdown]

59. How come there's no "W" in one?

Did it fall down to tWo where it's not even needed?

If you spray spot remover on your dog, does he dissapear?

[DanCa]

60. If you were to carpet the entire state of Fla

How long would it take for you too vacume it?

If a monkey bites you what medicine do you take?

If a dog sweats thru it's tongue what does its arm pits do?

[maxsolomon]

54. Because they are pure Jingoism

its not JUST an empty sentiment. "Support our Troops" made its debut in Gulf War 1. It is meant to actively stifle debate & dissent. Like the wonderful ww2-styled posters that made their debut in 2003: "Shut the fuck up, hippies. WE'LL protect america".

It is another example of the GOP's strategy of rendering everything into black & white choices.

It is fascism.

"I was FOR the war, but AGAINST the troops..." - Bill Hicks, RIP

[H2O Man]

55. I have one.

I want the troops brought back home. No one looking at my vehicle would mistake that message.

[donco6]

67. I take it it's not the ONLY sticker on your car?

Hmmm, H20 Man?! How about a pic of that bumper? :)

[H2O Man]

70. Not the only one .....

I've never been able to post a photo, but you can take my word for it. If it were the only thing, I'd have no problem saying so. I respect people having opinions very different from my own, and am not upset if that includes people strongly disagreeing with what I believe.

I have three American flags flying outside my house. I respect what that flag represents to me and mine, though it has nothing in common with what it means to the clown who is going to address the nation tonight.

Several of my extended family are serving in the military. The last kid I trained to box competitively is in special forces. My sons' friends are serving in Iraq. One of the kids I knew as my older boy's classmate, who shared a tent with him at scout camp, died in Iraq; the biggest piece of his body returned for burial was a hand. There are other DUers who have family and friends in Iraq.

Every day, I pray for the US soldiers, and for the victims of the US aggression in the Middle East. I am as opposed to the war as anyone in the United States. But I'm not willing to concede things such as concern for the soldiers' safety or the flag to republicans.

[cynatnite]

56. Corporate greed...a sham to make people feel patriotic...

they can make a few bucks on a meaningless show of supporting the troops.

Personally, I feel it's a show of support for the war which I will never do.

[Shakespeare]

63. It's called J-I-N-G-O-I-S-M. n/t

[donco6]

66. I HATE them, because they imply if you DON'T have one,

you don't support the troops. Plus, "Support the Troops" implies there is a simplistic either/or-ness to the issue. You either "support the troops" or you don't - and it's just not that simple. No, I don't support the troops, if that means I have to support every single thing they do. Not if they detain journalists, throw innocent people off of bridges, shoot/kill anything that moves and claim it was an "insurgent", etc.

That's why I hate them.

[Xithras]

71. Call me old fashioned, but I have an actual yellow ribbon on my antenna

I really don't see what the point is of having a MAGNET that LOOKS like an ribbon on your car. I can buy a 15 foot roll of yellow ribbon for the cost of one magnet, and I won't look like a lemming driving down the road. It also won't screw up my paint or get lifted by the first klepto-adolescent that strolls past.

The yellow ribbon is a symbol stating that you're thinking about our troops and praying for their safety. The yellow ribbon magnet is just a keeping-up-with-the-Joneses fad.