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September 8, 2005
worse than teased hair and hot pants
Katrina is everywhere, and it's making me a little batty. I do not intend to downplay the extremity of the situation or discount the need for discussion of how our federal government has failed those effected. It's just that plenty of people are doing that already. More seems to be overkill. Accordingly, I would like to declare that this site will henceforth be entirely Katrina-free in content. Moving along...
A new fad is sweeping the country. During my gallivanting around the country over the past few weeks, I became acutely aware of the omnipresent nature and still-growing prevalence of magnetic ribbons on cars. I tell you, I can't stand the things. It seems as though one out of three cars has either a yellow Support Our Troops ribbon or a flag-colored God Bless America one. I find both of these to be absurd and unnecessary. I feel as thought the implication of the flag-ish one is that if you don't have this ribbon prominently displayed on your car's ass, then you couldn't really care less about this country and you'd much rather that the terrorists were permitted to ravage the earth unburdened and unimpeded.
The Yellow Ribbon, I have to say, are much worse. I don't know exactly when the Yellow Ribbon was first used, but I do know its original intent. The Yellow Ribbon was originally tied it around a tree in their front yard, not postered on bumpers. A house with a Yellow Ribbonned tree was one in while a member of the family was in the military and was currently missing in action. I still have a vivid picture in my mind of walking past one such house every morning on my way to grade school (also during Gulf War, Part I). I didn't know then what it meant. I think this is a respectable and decent thing to do. Since then, they're message has been bastardized. When analogies between the Gulf War, Part II and Vietnam began to circulate, a lot of folks got pretty nervous. Following World War I, a theory surfaced among defeated Germans called the stab-in-the-back theory. As may be deciphered from its title, the theory claimed that the Germans lost that war because its citizens withdrew their support for the war effort. After the Vietnam War, the Pentagon wiped the dust off the theory and reemployed it, claiming that American failure to, well, take over Vietnam was due to the lack of support for American troops abroad. In other words, dissenting Americans caused their army to lose the Pentagon's war on the other side of the world. Really takes passing the buck to a new level, doesn't it? Anyways, that's the stab-in-the-back theory. Many people still believe it. And when analogies between Vietnam and Iraq started, some crony in the Pentagon got real nervous and decided to try to prevent that before it starts. They took a symbol of acknowledgement and mourning -- the Yellow Ribbon -- wrote Support Our Troops on it, made one side sticky (or magnetic), and said, "If you are a true American and you want to defeat the terrorists, put this thing on your car." And people listened. And thus the Yellow Ribbon was bastardized.
While I find these two Ribbons irritating, the barrage of others that have followed are even more ridiculous. See for yourself. There are magnetic ribbons for everything from patriotism to autism awareness. I should note here that I take absolutely no issue with cancer-oriented awareness ribbons. Same goes for the AIDS ribbon. Isn't it interesting that the red AIDS ribbon was one of the first ribbons to be commonly worn but that I have not seem a single car displaying one in magnetic form? How did they miss out? Anyways, cancer and aids ribbons are phenomenal and I mean in no way to undermine their legitimacy. Awareness of these issues can save lives. And they are not a fad. But the other magnetic ribbons are a fad. I find their attempt to permeate the realm of ribbon-worthiness offensive to ribbons that deserve such standing. So, I decided to fight back. I have recently purchased a greenish-grey magnetic ribbon that says Support Magnetic Ribbons across it. Yes, I know that what I have done could be viewed as giving in to the magnetic ribbon craze. But parody is necessary in this instance. And parody should never be mistaken for participation.
Posted by ben at September 8, 2005 1:56 PM
Comments
My friend Becca has one of those. Did yours come with an alien face cutout? :)
Posted by: Sarah at September 8, 2005 5:52 PM
I haven't received it yet, but I hear an alien face is imminent. And it excites me.
Posted by: ben at September 8, 2005 7:58 PM
it is from you and becca that I knew of the support ribbons ribbon. Therefore, it is really you two to thank for ben's immenint joy.
Posted by: christina at September 9, 2005 10:50 AM
Ah, excellent. Glad I could help. ;)
Posted by: Sarah at September 13, 2005 10:02 AM