I keep seeing these magnetic ribbons on people’s cars that say, "I SUPPORT PRESIDENT BUSH and our troops." I always applaud these brave people, who have taken the extraordinary step of attaching a magnetic ribbon to their car as a reflection of their deeply held convictions.
Personally, I don’t think one needs to support the president or the war to support the soldiers, but this is a favorite talking point from the RNC.
Witness the case of Cornell du Houx.
The senior is most well known on the Bowdoin College campus in his role
as development director for the College Democrats of America and as
co-president of the Maine College Democrats. Under his leadership, the
organization in Maine has grown from two chapters to 23.While Cornell du Houx has actively rallied against many of President
Bush’s policies, he feels that his involvement in the Marines is not a
conflict of interest."Regardless of my opinions regarding
the war in Iraq, it is my duty as a U.S. Marine to serve and I am ready
and willing to do my job to its fullest extent," he said.Others on campus, particularly his political opponents in the Bowdoin
College Republicans, feel differently about his service. Daniel
Schuberth, a leader of the Bowdoin College Republicans and College
Republican national secretary, said, "I applaud Mr. Houx for his
service, just as I applaud any other soldier who is brave enough to
take up arms in defense of his country. I find it troubling, however,
that one of the most vocal opponents of our president, our country and
our mission in Iraq has chosen to fight for a cause he claims is wrong.
Mr. Houx’s rhetoric against the war on terror places him in agreement
with the most radical fringes of the Democratic Party, and I am left to
question his logic and motivation."
Boy, it sure is cute how Daniel Schuberth tries real real hard to spit out his Mehlman-ordered talking points, but has he listened to what he’s saying? Daniel Schuberth, who should probably earn some sort of award from Operation Yellow Elephant, has the fucking nerve to criticize a brave soldier who is following orders, even though he doesn’t believe in the war, when he won’t enlist himself. He may claim that Cornell du Houx is a representative of the "most radical fringes of the Democratic Party," but it’s pretty clear that chickenhawks like Daniel Schuberth are in direct agreement with the mainstream of George Bush’s Republican Party. I’m sure he has "other priorities", just like Dick Cheney did during the Vietnam War. What a brave, brave little fighting keyboardist he is!
Tonight, there are vigils all over the country to mark the death of the
2000th American soldier to be killed in George Bush’s Idiotic
Adventure. Blondesense has links, and advises people who support the
soldiers but oppose the war (a difficult concept for bemagneted car
owners to comprehend, but a valid one nonetheless) to Just Go. I agree.
I would like to ask all young and able-bodied war supporters to join me
as I mark this tragic milestone: I will do everything I can to end this war, and prevent others like it from happening. You can head to your nearest recruitment
center and join up. Dan Schulberth has a spot in the military with his name on it that he’s not using.
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When I registered voters last year I had Army Recuitment pamphlets so when I encountered Republicans that would try to give me crap I would hand it to them and tell them to send their kids if they believe Bush.
I normally steer clear of your political posts, but I want to chime in with just one thing.
It’s become popular to mock or criticize people for the their “fake patriotism” with all the ribbons and flags. I know Bill Maher wouldn’t get a paycheck if he didn’t criticize Americans who decided to be patriotic AFTER 9/11.
But to mock or belittle them for “all of a sudden” becoming patriotic is just, well, mean.
I admit before 9/11 I didn’t have a flag out front of my house. Since 9/11, I do. It took something that bad to remind me that I am a proud American.
Am I a bad person for it?
I hope not.
I personally think “Support” ribbons are silly but only for the same reasons I think political bumper stickers and “Baby on Board” signs are silly.
I’m not going to change my vote simply because the guy in front of me has a “Pat Paulson in 98” bumper sticker just as I’m not going to stop intentially ramming cars now that I know they have a baby on board!
(wait a minute….. scratch that).
All I’m saying is maybe people are overdoing it.
Maybe it’s “Bandwagon” patriotism.
But at least they’re supporting America in some way, shape or form.
(whether or not they’re helping divide it by constantly bashing their president in a public or internet forum is quite another)
I’m sick of the bandwagon magnets myself. That’s why I wanted the magnetic ribbon that says, “I Support Strippers” It was purple.
My neighbors would probably be furiously whispering to each other if me, a suburban mom of two had that that on her Saturn Vue. Anyway, they really did have those but I ended up settling for a “Support Individuality” one.
Only now, that I think about it, that one’s kind of ironic. Don’tc’ha think? (how DO you apostrophe that word? Don’tcha? Don’t’cha?)
On a more serious note, I do think the tide is turning now. Polls show (finaally!!!!!!) that Americans generally think that oh…. maybe Bush is somewhat of a fuckup? But, wow. Took them that long. Anyway, I won’t go on a long tirade. I am just tired of SHEEP. Know what I mean?
I’ve never understood patriotism. Coming from Australia it’s more likely that you see a bumper sticker saying ‘Stuff the Government and pass me another beer’ or something else similar that bags the crap out of our own country while we still love it. Condtradictory Australianism; maybe you guys should look into it?
Wil,
While I don’t agree with you that us being in Iraq is “Bush’s Idiotic adventure” I do agree that 2000 people killed is a bad thing. If we didn’t go in there, there would have been 1000’s of more Iraqis killed by their own government. So I do support Mr. Bush and the troops. I understand that someone can support the troops and not the war or the President. It’s your right to say/write whatever you want just as it’s mine to write what I want and the great thing is, we don’t have to agree. I don’t even have to hate you for disagreeing with me. I can just tell you that you are full of shit.
Before you say that I should “join up”. I already have done that. I was in the First President Bush’s Iraq adventure. They wouldn’t take me back now and I can think of 1000’s of other things I would rather do now that I’m out of the service. I salute the people doing it now because I don’t want to do it myself.
Anyway, I enjoy your blog. I was a fan of TNG. Keep up the blogging and I’m looking forward to your podcast.
-Mike
PS. You’re still full of shit.
May I quote you : ” I would like to ask all young and able-bodied war supporters to join ME as I mark this tragic milestone;head to your nearest recruitment center and join up” .
I’m impressed you are going to enlist . Surely you are under the age cap for such . May I suggest the Air Force or the Coast Guard . Its a noble thing you are doing Wil . Please keep us posted on your journey in the military . G-D bless you .
Oh and by the way I did over 12 years in the USCG and currently work for the Army as a cilivan [19yrs + ]. I done the talk and the walk ,and got the tee-shirt too .Over the age cap to return to active service .To paraphrase Robert E. Lee : ” It is good that war is so terrible , as we may grow too fond of it.” / anon: “Freedom is not free.”
” If we didn’t go in there, there would have been 1000’s of more Iraqis killed by their own government” – Michael Dell.
OK, your grasp on alternate timelines aside, is it a good thing, in your opinion, to chose which group of people will die? With Saddam, Shiite’s and Kurds die, without, Sunni’s die. Oddly, the Sunnis are the more modern, less religiously radical… Some would daresay, western, in thier view towards women.
Now, proof of idiocy of Bush, we occupy a country and destroy much of its vital infrastructure, we then spend billions on repairing it only to never have the work done. He gives medals to the people responsible for oversight even though they didn’t do thier job…
I also understood the post to say that Wil is going to enlist. If so, he could change the blog’s title to Wil Wheaton: In Exile 🙂
It’s his opinion on his blog, so whatever. His opinion didn’t change mine, and I highly doubt mine would change his. I do agree that supporting our troops is a separate issue from supporting the war they’re in, or the president that declared it.
It’s an odd milestone, but practical enough I guess. Here’s a link that really made every soldier hit home: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/26/national/IRAQDEATHS_GRAPHIC.html
It was when my husband was knee deep in Desert Storm that his hippie uninvolved father wrote him a letter telling him why he was against war. His father got out of the Vietnam draft by playing homosexual. That worked in 1960s Utah.
While my husband is against this war…has been from the beginning…he still had that itch to rejoin the army and go. He felt it was his duty as it’s what he trained for.
I worry about all these troops when they come home. My husband came home with Desert Storm Syndrome. I hope our current troops don’t come home sick. We live very rural because we’ve discovered that city pollution makes his symptoms worse.
Becky: please tell your husband that I said thank you, and I hope the VA takes very good care of him.
(that’s another reason I’m sickened by the Bush administration — they send soldiers off to this war, and don’t take care of them when they come home.)
Everyone Else: I edited the end of this post, to clarify some confusion.
Thank you to everyone, as always, for civil and thoughtful conversation.
Here is my take on the whole ribbon phenomenon: I hate ribbons
Brian
My brother was sent to Afganistan right after 9/11, before it was “hip and cool” to say one supports the troops. No Thanksgiving that year. No care packages from the States. N’sync was supposed to come over to entertain them and cancelled because they got a better gig. Maybe a blessing in disguise, but still…
Am I bitter?
My brother missed his daughter’s first steps while folks were driving around in their SUVs, shouting on about “Rah America!” while not stepping up to the plates themselves.
I’m very bitter.
It is that whole thing about “looking at a persons actions instead of their words”. I see a lot of words about “staying the course” and “supporting the troops”, but as far as action… Selling out a CIA operative? Cutting vetrans benefits? Some punk yuppy questioning a soldier who is over there right now putting his life on the line? Seems America really has it backwards.
Who is going to care about these widows ten years from now? Who is going to care for their children? I value the lives of our troops and would really like them to come home.
And I freakin’ hate those ribbons.
Picking on car magnets?
(sigh)
If the vocal folks on either side of this whole thing would just restrain themselves from sniping blindly at the other side (which contains as many well-intentioned people as their own side who aren’t part of the extremes), they might start being taken more seriously.
I consider myself somewhere in the middle, but as soon as an article or comment or blog that I’m reading says something that lumps all opposing viewpoints together into one evil opinion, I completely disregard _everything_ else that person has to say in that instance. Their head isn’t in the right place to be objective.
But I stick around, ‘cuz the next post might make more sense.
Passion is fine, Wil. I respect yours very much. Broad attacks like the one above lessen your impact on those who might actually be swayed.
It’s obviously not a scientific sample, but everyone I know or have met with Support Our Troops magnetic ribbons on their cars (including me) has actually DONATED MONEY or sent needed goods — or both — to individual soldiers, to deployed units, or to one of the many charities that help equip special units or assist the families of serving or deceased warriors.
Now, I live here in the San Francisco Bay Area, so it’s probably more likely than not that anyone with the balls to risk having their car keyed, tires slashed, etc. (and the ribbon stolen, BTW) is also sincere enough to back up their political expression with actual acts of support.
I love your books, Wil, and I’m a fairly regular reader of your blog, but maybe I missed a post or two about exactly what it is you’ve done to provide real ‘support’ to ‘the troops’ other than political anti-war activity?
Just a follow-up: I know Wil’s been active in supporting charitable causes in the past. That kind of active support is what I (and many others) believe the phrase “support our troops” refers to as well.
I’m really curious: aside from me, how many WWDNers have contributed to charities/organizations that provide tangible aid to troops or their families?
And of course if Wil’s posted about such before, then I just missed it and I apologize for assuming otherwise.
I also normally stay away from the politial posts but David you are missing a point about Wil’s post.. you forgot that he has highlighted part of the sticker he’s talking about,
“I SUPPORT PRESIDENT BUSH and our troops.”
He is not against anyone supporting the troops, I believe it is the President Bush part he doesn’t care for. (I did not vote for bush)
Personally I support the troops period. I do not support the war.
And as I live right by Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, (101st airborne) I have many army friends here and I support them and even some of them do not like the war.
Misty,
Fair enough, but I believe my point is still valid: all too many of the folks out here where I live are in the habit of saying, as if by rote, that they support the troops but oppose the war. But when asked, they can’t come up with any concrete, tangible act they’ve taken to support the troops — other than opposing the war. To me, at least, that pokes a bit of a hole in what they’re claiming to believe.
I’m presuming that at least in Ft. Campbell your friends who oppose the war are comfortable displaying a ribbon and are actually doing tangible things to support the troops — helping bereaved families, etc. That’s great! Out here in California, I haven’t encountered anyone opposing the war who does things like that, and that’s a shame.
There are many creative, positive ways to go about supporting the troops (no, paying taxes doesn’t count) — and yes, you certainly don’t have to support Bush to do any of them. I’m just sad that in my experience, the only Californians who do so are people with ribbons — and yes, they’re Bush voters.
A valid question, David.
I’ve contributed to too many care packages to count (I’ve sent my books, but baby wipes are where it’s at), and I helped organize several of the “4Troops.com” efforts, including Gmail4Troops. And using my voice as a citizen to end a war I believe is making us less safe and bring our soldiers home is also a perfectly valid means of support. As far as I can tell, it is a soldier’s job to follow orders, and it’s a civillian’s job to participate in our democracy so that soldier isn’t asked to fight unnecessarily.
And my main problem isn’t so much with the magnets, as it is with this idea that you can’t support our soldiers unless you support the president and his war.
David, you said “…when asked, they can’t come up with any concrete, tangible act they’ve taken to support the troops — other than opposing the war.”
But I believe that that is be one of the most important ways in which you *can* support the troops. A soldier is to be admired because he has made a vow to defend our country. This is an incredible sacrifice, and this vow should never be squandered or taken lightly by our government. If soldiers are being asked to uphold their vow for reasons that I believe are invalid or questionable, then my duty as a citizen is to question that decision.
// Sorry, I typed too quickly. That first sentence should read:
But I believe that protest can be one of the most important ways in which you *can* support the troops.
Wil,
Glad to hear about your efforts. I had forgotten that you worked with gmail4troops, but now I seem to remember you mentioning it in the past.
I don’t disagree that if you believe the war is immoral or unjust, expressing your belief politically would certainly be a moral imperative. I do disagree with those who claim that’s all that’s necessary to be considered to be “supporting the troops.”
Wil obviously is not in that category.
Sorry if I hijacked the thread away from focusing on the idea that “support the troops” = “support Bush” — just wasn’t clear to me that was the intent of the original post.
Great discussion, folks!
I see a lot of yellow-ribbon magnets around San Antonio (“Military City, USA”). Since I work in Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services, emergency messaging for military families, I don’t wear my support on my sleeve.
Those who want to do more for the troops might consider contributing to or volunteering with local Red Cross chapter’s AFES unit, with the USO, or with the various military relief societies (Air Force Aid, Army Emergency Relief, Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society). All can be found on the Web.
Gilder
Lisa Huang Fleischman writes to New York Times public editor Byron Calame:
Mr. Calame—I’ve never bothered to write the NY Times before, because your paper seems to make a practice of sinking to new lows every time I look, although I admit I, like many others, hardly ever look anymore. But this last was really contemptible.
Your paper profiled Cpl. Jeffrey Starr in an article about the 2000th casualty (of course). Here’s the article.
The paper quotes from a letter written by Cpl Starr to his girlfriend, found after his death by Starr’s father. The erstwhile paper of record states:
“Sifting through Corporal Starr’s laptop computer after his death, his father found a letter to be delivered to the marine’s girlfriend. ‘I kind of predicted this,’ Corporal Starr wrote of his own death. ‘A third time just seemed like I’m pushing my chances.’”
Perfectly in keeping, may I say, with the defeatist, elegiac, Vietnam-like attitude of the entire piece.
I’m sorry to say that the Times reporter dishonestly deleted the rest of the letter. Thanks to the brave corporal’s family, who forwarded the remainder of the letter to Michelle Malkin, we actually know what Corporal Starr really thought, not what the Times would like to use him to stand for.
Here’s what the rest of the letter says.
He wrote: “Obviously if you are reading this then I have died in Iraq. I kind of predicted this, that is why I’m writing this in November. A third time just seemed like I’m pushing my chances. I don’t regret going, everybody dies but few get to do it for something as important as freedom. It may seem confusing why we are in Iraq, it’s not to me. I’m here helping these people, so that they can live the way we live. Not have to worry about tyrants or vicious dictators. To do what they want with their lives. To me that is why I died. Others have died for my freedom, now this is my mark.”
(Emphasis mine—it’s the part that your reporter knowingly left out. Which only goes to show that everything—EVERYTHING—at the Times is in service of The Agenda.)
I know it just kills you guys to think that overwhelmingly our soldiers actually, consciously support the war, are perfectly aware of the dangers they face, and are as perfectly prepared to face them. I know it comforts all the Timesmen and women to think that soldiers are just sad, pathetic, barely literate dupes (when they aren’t being babykillers and Koran flushers), but in fact the soldiers view their lives as imbued with transcendent meaning, apparently something no Times reporter can claim. Maybe it’s just envy on the part of all your reporters that these American teenagers in uniform make history every day of their lives, while you all just continue to transparently twist the news and to accumulate contempt from the American people, which is now compounding at a daily rate.
Incidentally, I was a reserve army officer for twelve years. Sad, pathetic dupe that I am, I graduated Berkeley and Columbia Law School. (I understand you have a few Columbia J-School grads among your staff. Too bad. Everyone on campus knew that only the really dumb kids ended up in the J-School.)
Mr. Calame has a question or two to answer.
A political comment from Down Under: the lesbian who lives around the corner from me has a bumper sticker that says, ‘The Only Bush I Trust Is My Own.’
Daniel
Glad to read a post on something political for a change – I’ve read previously about how you get all that negative feedback from some readers, but I think writers who have the courage to stand up for what they believe in are far more respected than those who don’t. Cheers Wil :).
Elyssa