Am I the only one that's not a fan of ribbons and bands?

[fujiyama]

Now I know some are for a good cause, but for example, these yellow "support the troops" stickers. They just irritate me for some reason.

I know this isn't wholly accurate, but I somehow see one and think "puke". I ranted a little yesterday and my buddy said, "That doesn't mean they're for the war. They just support the troops. You don't want to have something like after Vietnam.". Now, I hope he knew what I meant in that I wasn't saying anything against the troops myself, but often the people that have them do support the war and it's just a symbolic, meaningless feel good thing.

I remember something similar also happening in high school. I told someone that I though WWJD bands were mass marketed religion and he was wearing one.

It's odd, but I'm a very non confrontational person but meaningless symbolic things annoy me.

[swag]

1. Well put

Wearing a rock band t-shirt or a sports team jersey is a gesture with greater content.

[kittenpants]

2. I want to get a "Support Magnetic Ribbons" ribbon

I agree that they're a symbol of mindlessly going along with public opinion. Usually those who are actually religious or supporting the troops don't need a mass produced object to show it off.

[Rabrrrrrr]

3. They piss me off

It's all bandwagon faddish bullshit that is a way for people to look and feel like they're really doing something "for the cause" but without actually having to make any significant changes in their lifestyle, attitude, or philosophy.

In a year or two, no one will fucking care any more and they're lives will go back to the miserable artless shitholes they were before until some new thing comes up to attract their crow-like attention ("Look! A sparkly! I gotta have the sparkly!!") and sweeps the nation with its mediocrity and bland valuelessness.

Meaningless symbolic things annoy me, too.

If you want to support a cause, go out and actually support it, change your life, change your buying patterns, write letters to your senators and congressmen and etc., and letters ot the editors, and volunteer somewhere.

But don't go buy a $3 goddamn piece of rubber or magnetic strip and think that sticking it to something is the equivalent of making substantive meaningful change.

[KitchenWitch]

8. What kills me is that the "yellow ribbons" have been produced for profit

in most cases and do NOTHING to support the troops or the veterans.

[Rabrrrrrr]

9. Good point! I'd totally forgotten about that aspect of it

All the profits from the "support the troops" magnets go to the stores that sell them and the assholes who manufacture them.

I bet not a single dollar goes to helping spouses keep their homes out of foreclosure, or providing food for the troops' families, or helping to pay for the wounded troops' meals at the hospitals.

Every single red cent is, I bet, going to a group of assholes so they can buy bigger houses and send money to republican campaigns.

[KitchenWitch]

14. If I were inclined to buy one of those played out ribbons

I would buy it at our local National Guard Armory. There would be more chance of the money getting to where it should in that case.

[DS1]

4. Saw one on the gas cap cover of a Ford Excursion the other day, I think

the irony of that was lost on the driver

[Jamastiene]

5. You are not alone in that one.

These campaigns to end (insert injustice here) are pointless and do absolitely NOTHING to stop what they are trying to stop or support whatever they support. Hard legislation AND enforcement of those laws is the only thing that will get the job done. I have never gone to one of the protests either. At one time I really wanted to, but then I began to realize that they didn't work. When I watched one from afar I noticed how much they look more like a party anyhow. The ribbons are just capitalist commercialism. The ribbon companies are just capitalising on whatver color they sell to millions of people at the moment.

Even if you know what color ribbon represents what ill or good, until you care enough to do your own research and find ways to deal with the issue, those ribbons mean nothing.

[Dissenting_Prole]

6. We support THIS guy...

[JohnnyRingo]

7. It's hard to keep up with the plastic bracelet colors....

I saw a girl with a blue one(?) last night, I didn't ask.

[Bouncy Ball]

10. The stupid fucking magnetic ribbons

DON'T HELP A SINGLE TROOP. They make people LAZY. Oh yes, I slapped a silly fucking magnetic ribbon on my car, that means I'm just wonderful and look how much I support the troops! That means I can BREAK MY FUCKING ARM PATTING MYSELF ON THE BACK because I'm so damn WONDERFUL supporting the troops like this with my stupid fucking ribbon. I'm SO committed to supporting the troops, I got a REMOVEABLE MAGNETIC sticker instead of a real one!!!!!!!!

In fact, it lets people off the hook. I bet very few people with those things on their cars ever sent a single care package or pre-paid phone card, I bet they never wrote a single letter telling an elected official they are using the troops in an IMMORAL and UNJUST MANNER.

Oh yeah, they're fucking great. :eyes: The day I never see one of those again will be a great day. People should try REALLY supporting the troops by keeping a hairy eyeball on how the government USES them and screaming bloody murder when they are used wrongly, as they are now, rather than RAH-RAHing any fucking thing the government wants to do with them.

[GOPisEvil]

11. I have this ribbon on my car.

http://www.enoughwiththeribbons.com/

[Rabrrrrrr]

12. I like it!

[GOPisEvil]

13. The guy that makes them is based here in Austin.

It looks good on my car, except that the print is hard to read. You have to see the ribbon with the car parked for maximum exposure.