Yellow Curl Hurl

Kitsune · 01-16-2005, 09:50 PM

In 2001 it was US flags. Real, magnetic, or sticker.
Today, its yellow ribbon magnets. Why?

What does slapping a magnet on your car do? Tell the person behind you that they should support the troops? What, exactly, do you think the masses of people that have put a yellow ribbon magnet on their car have done to back their own suggestion? Turn the made-in-china magnet on its side and you not only make a statement about your support for the war, you turn it into a religious one, also. This "I care more than you do attitude" combined with plastic patriotism takes it to a higher level that requires the least amount of effort needed to fit in with the largest group of people possible that results in no change. Its nauseating.

Of course, sometimes its not the sticker, but the location you place it when you put even less thought into your support for the men and women that serve our country.

Fill 'er up with regular, please.

SteveDallas · 01-16-2005, 11:01 PM

Man, lighten up a bit.

lookout123 · 01-16-2005, 11:18 PM

well, there is that view of course. most of the folks who have put those emblems on their cars probably really are just trying to make a visible statement of support for the troops. this isn't the first war that yellow ribbons have been seen, only the first time someone was smart enough to make it a magnet and sell it to people.

melidasaur · 01-16-2005, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveDallas

Man, lighten up a bit.

I second that... lighten up, dude. Maybe these people are putting the magnets on their car because they really want to show their support for the cause. Thinking that they do it because they think they are better than everyone else is a really judgmental point of view.

Do people put college stickers on their car because they want to make everyone else feel bad because they didn't go there or because they have pride in their institution?

xoxoxoBruce · 01-17-2005, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Do people put college stickers on their car because they want to make everyone else feel bad because they didn't go there or because they have pride in their institution?

No, they show they're putting their kids through college and if you hit them they'll sue for every dime they can get. Also if they hit you...forget it, they're broke.

The magnetic ribbons....they show how helpless people feel about what's happening. For or against, they have no power to affect what's happening and have to resort to a pathetic magnet to make a statement.

Griff · 01-17-2005, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

The magnetic ribbons....they show how helpless people feel about what's happening. For or against, they have no power to affect what's happening and have to resort to a pathetic magnet to make a statement.

I think you cut to the quick there.

busterb · 01-17-2005, 06:55 AM

What about paint damage from electrolysis (sp)? I had magnetic stickers on fridge & dash of my old truck, paint came off underneath.

"Lack of proper prior planning on your part does not constitute
an emergency on mine."

Beestie · 01-17-2005, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitsune

Today, its yellow ribbon magnets. Why?

I also think there is a presumption that buying one somehow benefits the troops (literally - like donating to the USO). I don't really mind the stickers all that much - I think most folks are just showing their support which is a nice thing to do.

I'm a little less enthusiastic about the plethora of wristlets out there. Lance Armstrong's was first one I noticed (the yellow one that *eye roll* John Kerry wore throughout the campaign). Now there are green USO ones, red ones, orange ones, pink ones. And I have my doubts that much if any of the money paid for it actually reaches the supposed destination. I think they have turned into a fashion statement for teenagers and oldsters who want everyone to think they are hip/cool.

Kitsune · 01-17-2005, 08:24 AM

I'm a little less enthusiastic about the plethora of wristlets out there. Lance Armstrong's was first one I noticed (the yellow one that *eye roll* John Kerry wore throughout the campaign). Now there are green USO ones, red ones, orange ones, pink ones. And I have my doubts that much if any of the money paid for it actually reaches the supposed destination. I think they have turned into a fashion statement for teenagers and oldsters who want everyone to think they are hip/cool.

Well, this was my idea: if you want to really do something for the troops, why not have a similar system to the Armstrong yellow bands? What if you got something in return for having a care package sent to our fighting men and women? On display, it would actually mean something and would show that you did something to help make a soldier's tour better and let them know you're thinking of them. Then, just like the Armstrong bands, it would serve to let others know about it and propagate the meme.

At that point, that fashion statement of it wouldn't bother me. (I haven't seen any of the USO ones floating around, only the yellow ones. What do the orange and pink mean?)

Beestie · 01-17-2005, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitsune

...What if you got something in return for having a care package sent to our fighting men and women?...

What do the orange and pink mean?)

A while-we're-on-the-subject link for sending care packages: www.AnySoldier.com. Whatever you sent is distributed to soldiers who typically don't get anything sent to them. You don't get a goodie in exchange, tho but if you include an email address you might get a note back but don't be offended if you don't.

As for the other colours, I have no idea - I have just noticed them adorning the wrists of teenagers in the area.

melidasaur · 01-17-2005, 08:59 AM

Pink bracelets are for breast cancer... the others - no clue. I've only seen pink and yellow.

Pie · 01-17-2005, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beestie

I'm a little less enthusiastic about the plethora of wristlets out there. [...] Now there are green USO ones, red ones, orange ones, pink ones. And I have my doubts that much if any of the money paid for it actually reaches the supposed destination.

Well, I got a red one from the Red Cross for donating blood. I sure as hell hope it all went to the red cross!

- pie (short a pint)

Kitsune · 01-19-2005, 01:06 PM

The whole point of these campaigns is to show you support them, financially or with your vote, or whatever. If someone doesn't know what your specific ribbon is for, then they can ask, and perhaps raise the awareness of the public just one person at a time.

Agreed. My problem with the majority of the yellow ribbons: not a dollar, not a dime, not a cent goes towards supporting anyone other than the company that placed the order to China to have them cranked out of a machine. You have to look very hard to find a yellow ribbon maker that donates any of your money to making a soldier's tour better. To me, they are the epitome of America: they require no work (you just buy 'em), they don't mean much (none of your money goes anywhere), they're tacky as all hell, and just like honest troop support found throughout the public, the trend is as temporary as the magnet that holds the sticker to your vehicle.

Write a soldier a heartfelt letter describing your appreciation for what they do for the country or spend $5 on a magnet at a gas station? Send a care package to someone in Afghanistan or stick a nylon cutout of Calvin peeing on Osama's head to your window? Wave and cheer at a Welcome Home parade or make a hidden political statement with a sticker? Current issues of such severity, I always thought, should be treated with a lot more respect when so many lives of Americans are on the line. I'm positive that the people that try to make a statement with these stickers and magnets mean well, I just think that its all effort in the wrong direction.

...or, who knows? Maybe soldiers that come home and see the highways swamped with vehicles that have yellow ribbon magnets on them feel honored and warmed by the sight. Maybe families that have sent their son or daughter to Iraq feel a sense of community as they're sitting at a stoplight? Maybe those little images of crosses, twin towers, yellow ribbons, terrorist hunting permits, crying eagles, and American flags do a lot of good and I just don't see it?

juju · 01-20-2005, 07:25 AM

I hate these things because I see them as fake passion.

This only signifies that the person heard about the war on the news and they feel bad about it, but they're too shallow to actually do something about it. They want to feel like they're a part of something, but they don't actually care enough to be bothered to send a care package, or join the army themselves. That requires real commitment, which most likely that person doesn't have on this particular issue.

Of course this is certainly not true of everyone, but I think it's true of many.

I don't really mind the ribbons so much, though. It could be that that person has a son or daughter in the military. It's the American flags that bother me. One is never enough, it seems. It must be either three flags, or the entire back window of their car must be one big flag (usually with a giant eagle overlooking it, with cleverly crafted ripples in the flag).

I know -- they love their country. But if I put a giant "The Matrix" logo over my back windshield, people would think I was a tool (ha ha ha -- yes yes, I know - I am one anyway). No one cares if I like the Matrix. If they did, they'd ask me -- they wouldn't look on my car. Sure, maybe if I participated in the making of the movie, that would make it okay. That would signify a pride in my work. But I didn't help make the movie, so I would just be a sad fanboy.

Kitsune · 01-21-2005, 09:52 AM

A Color Guide to Wristbands

A yellow wristband shows you're against all types of cancer.
A yellow wristband, in certain hospitals, also means "do no resuscitate." (But if the medical team misinterprets your anti-cancer bracelet, hey, at least you died for a good cause.)

01-16-2005, 09:50 PM	#1
Kitsune still eats dirt Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 3,031	Yellow Curl Hurl In 2001 it was US flags. Real, magnetic, or sticker. Today, its yellow ribbon magnets. Why? What does slapping a magnet on your car do? Tell the person behind you that they should support the troops? What, exactly, do you think the masses of people that have put a yellow ribbon magnet on their car have done to back their own suggestion? Turn the made-in-china magnet on its side and you not only make a statement about your support for the war, you turn it into a religious one, also. This "I care more than you do attitude" combined with plastic patriotism takes it to a higher level that requires the least amount of effort needed to fit in with the largest group of people possible that results in no change. Its nauseating. Of course, sometimes its not the sticker, but the location you place it when you put even less thought into your support for the men and women that serve our country. Fill 'er up with regular, please.

01-16-2005, 11:18 PM	#3
lookout123 changed his status to single Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Right behind you. No, the other side. Posts: 10,308	well, there is that view of course. most of the folks who have put those emblems on their cars probably really are just trying to make a visible statement of support for the troops. this isn't the first war that yellow ribbons have been seen, only the first time someone was smart enough to make it a magnet and sell it to people. __________________ Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin

01-17-2005, 06:55 AM	#7
busterb NSABFD Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: MS. usa Posts: 3,908	What about paint damage from electrolysis (sp)? I had magnetic stickers on fridge & dash of my old truck, paint came off underneath. "Lack of proper prior planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine." __________________ I've haven't left very deep footprints in the sands of time. But, boy I've left a bunch. Last edited by busterb; 01-17-2005 at 06:59 AM. Reason: spelling

01-17-2005, 08:59 AM	#11
melidasaur Traded your soul for pogs. Join Date: May 2004 Location: Champaign, IL Posts: 646	Pink bracelets are for breast cancer... the others - no clue. I've only seen pink and yellow. __________________ I love England, what can I say?

01-19-2005, 01:06 PM	#13
Kitsune still eats dirt Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 3,031	The whole point of these campaigns is to show you support them, financially or with your vote, or whatever. If someone doesn't know what your specific ribbon is for, then they can ask, and perhaps raise the awareness of the public just one person at a time. Agreed. My problem with the majority of the yellow ribbons: not a dollar, not a dime, not a cent goes towards supporting anyone other than the company that placed the order to China to have them cranked out of a machine. You have to look very hard to find a yellow ribbon maker that donates any of your money to making a soldier's tour better. To me, they are the epitome of America: they require no work (you just buy 'em), they don't mean much (none of your money goes anywhere), they're tacky as all hell, and just like honest troop support found throughout the public, the trend is as temporary as the magnet that holds the sticker to your vehicle. Write a soldier a heartfelt letter describing your appreciation for what they do for the country or spend $5 on a magnet at a gas station? Send a care package to someone in Afghanistan or stick a nylon cutout of Calvin peeing on Osama's head to your window? Wave and cheer at a Welcome Home parade or make a hidden political statement with a sticker? Current issues of such severity, I always thought, should be treated with a lot more respect when so many lives of Americans are on the line. I'm positive that the people that try to make a statement with these stickers and magnets mean well, I just think that its all effort in the wrong direction. ...or, who knows? Maybe soldiers that come home and see the highways swamped with vehicles that have yellow ribbon magnets on them feel honored and warmed by the sight. Maybe families that have sent their son or daughter to Iraq feel a sense of community as they're sitting at a stoplight? Maybe those little images of crosses, twin towers, yellow ribbons, terrorist hunting permits, crying eagles, and American flags do a lot of good and I just don't see it? Last edited by Kitsune; 01-19-2005 at 01:09 PM.

01-16-2005, 11:01 PM	#2
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	Man, lighten up a bit.

01-17-2005, 08:24 AM	#9
Kitsune still eats dirt Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 3,031	I'm a little less enthusiastic about the plethora of wristlets out there. Lance Armstrong's was first one I noticed (the yellow one that eye roll John Kerry wore throughout the campaign). Now there are green USO ones, red ones, orange ones, pink ones. And I have my doubts that much if any of the money paid for it actually reaches the supposed destination. I think they have turned into a fashion statement for teenagers and oldsters who want everyone to think they are hip/cool. Well, this was my idea: if you want to really do something for the troops, why not have a similar system to the Armstrong yellow bands? What if you got something in return for having a care package sent to our fighting men and women? On display, it would actually mean something and would show that you did something to help make a soldier's tour better and let them know you're thinking of them. Then, just like the Armstrong bands, it would serve to let others know about it and propagate the meme. At that point, that fashion statement of it wouldn't bother me. (I haven't seen any of the USO ones floating around, only the yellow ones. What do the orange and pink mean?)

01-20-2005, 07:25 AM	#14
juju no one of consequence Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Arkansas Posts: 2,839	I hate these things because I see them as fake passion. This only signifies that the person heard about the war on the news and they feel bad about it, but they're too shallow to actually do something about it. They want to feel like they're a part of something, but they don't actually care enough to be bothered to send a care package, or join the army themselves. That requires real commitment, which most likely that person doesn't have on this particular issue. Of course this is certainly not true of everyone, but I think it's true of many. I don't really mind the ribbons so much, though. It could be that that person has a son or daughter in the military. It's the American flags that bother me. One is never enough, it seems. It must be either three flags, or the entire back window of their car must be one big flag (usually with a giant eagle overlooking it, with cleverly crafted ripples in the flag). I know -- they love their country. But if I put a giant "The Matrix" logo over my back windshield, people would think I was a tool (ha ha ha -- yes yes, I know - I am one anyway). No one cares if I like the Matrix. If they did, they'd ask me -- they wouldn't look on my car. Sure, maybe if I participated in the making of the movie, that would make it okay. That would signify a pride in my work. But I didn't help make the movie, so I would just be a sad fanboy.

01-21-2005, 09:52 AM	#15
Kitsune still eats dirt Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 3,031	A Color Guide to Wristbands A yellow wristband shows you're against all types of cancer. A yellow wristband, in certain hospitals, also means "do no resuscitate." (But if the medical team misinterprets your anti-cancer bracelet, hey, at least you died for a good cause.)

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)