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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.

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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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