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Magnetic "Support the Troops" ribbons/bumperstickers miss the point. ("idiotic")


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Magnetic "Support the Troops" ribbons/bumperstickers miss the point. ("idiotic")
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Paul
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: New York City
 
2004-10-31, 00:23



that about sums up this whole rant.

I'm sure many of you on the top-right coast have seen these magnetic "ribbons" on cars. They are on every other car in NY. Quite annoying. I think originally they were given to families of soldiers in the armed forces to sell and raise money for care packages, but now you find them EVERYWHERE. I highly doubt that when someone buys one of these things they think about where it came from and if any of the $ they pay is actually supporting the troops in any way. "Pseudopatriotic" is right.

So far I have found them for sale in every other gas station and car wash I have been to in the last week (not that many). They probably got them from a site similar to this one where you can buy them wholesale and sell them at a markup of 1200% (they were $5 retail for the big ones I saw). I'm sure none of that $ is going to support the troops... or they would advertise it. Instead they are taking advantage of the average person's "willingness to support the troops" by overpricing these magnets.

It is at the point where people have two and three of them on their car to show they "support the troops" more then the person who has one or none. And as more people see (and steal-they are just magnets after all) the ribbons more people go out to buy them; no doubt at the most convenient place (impulse buy) where it is extremely unlikely that any money at all is being filtered back to military families.

This is what is wrong with America. People buy their little bumper sticker with the slogan of the moment on it (whether it is to support the troops, impeach Rove, or both) and they think thats all they what was required of them for particular issue. when in reality that small gesture probably did absolutely nothing for the cause-whatever it may be. They bought their flag so they are patriotic; even though it was made in Indonesia. They bought their American car; even though all the parts were made in Japan and runs on oil from Saudi Arabia. It is enough for them to feel good about themselves and that is all they care about.

1215/234215 (top .51875%)
People really have got to stop thinking there is only one operating system, one economic system, one religion, and one business model. -EvilTwinSkippy (/.)
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Barto
Student extraordinaire
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Canberra, Australia
 
2004-10-31, 00:54

I don't see the problem with it. What if it is a person's expression of their attitudes and beliefs (patriotism etc) without a self promoting agenda behind it? If such an expression was genuine, possibly coupled with a seperate donation to a military charity or similar, would be wrong with that?

Not to say some people who use said magnets are arseholes, but I don't see the problem with them as many of them are probably being used by non-arseholes.

The sky was deep black; Jesus still loved me. I started down the alley, wailing in a ragged bass.
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Paul
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: New York City
 
2004-10-31, 01:26

there is nothing wrong with the magnets... the point is that more then likely whoever sold the magnet did not use the proceeds to "support the troops", possibly deceiving the purchaser. Additionally, even if the purchaser was not deceived and does not care whether or not the proceeds of the sale "support the troops" or not, doesn't that seem a bit hypocritical? Like empty support? To say you support the troops-slap the magnet on your car and be done with it, is in effect a slap in the face of the troops. *Especially* if they were not critical of use of the troops in the first place-but that is a whole other topic.

Why should the car wash retailer get to profit from people's desire to "support" the troops? What about the ribbon manufacturer? It seems like a form of exploitation to me. IMnshO the 'market' should be 'owned' by those who would directly benefit from the "support"-the families who have a member abroad or the troops themselves (NOT the military in general). Any use of "the troops" (by the President, Micheal Moore, or anyone) for personal gain (whether it is monetary, emotional, or an increase in power or fame) appears disgraceful to me.

Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm interpreting this incorrectly, but thats the way I see it right now.

I'd be interested to see what LoCash has to say about this when he is released from the hospital after Jack-O-Ween...

1215/234215 (top .51875%)
People really have got to stop thinking there is only one operating system, one economic system, one religion, and one business model. -EvilTwinSkippy (/.)
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