Nobody Asked Me, But Support Our Troops?

A pickup truck in front of me stopped for a traffic light; on its tailgate were three ribbons. One was yellow; one was red, white, and blue; and one was camouflage. All bore the inscription "Support Our Troops." At another traffic light there was another pickup truck with a bumper sticker reading, "Forget Politics-Support Our Troops." Every day, hundreds of vehicles in rush hour display ribbons of many colors, most with the message "Support Our Troops." Yard signs exhort passers-by to do the same thing. Some signs and ribbons add patriotic or religious messages: "Freedom Isn't Free," "Pray for Our Troops," "In God We Trust," "God Bless America," "Home of the Free—Because of the Brave." Occasionally, one will specify what that support should mean. "Support Our Troops-Bring 'Em Home Safe," say a few of them. Others juxtapose the bumper stickers, signs, and ribbons with political slogans or stickers endorsing candidates for office.

A supermarket near my home has draped a large banner near its front door proclaiming in very big letters that the grocery chain "thanks and supports our troops." One-third of the banner is taken by advertising for a soft drink. Inside the store, the employees were not sure what the sign meant. They did not know of any efforts by the owners or managers to do anything specific to assist the U.S. forces at war in Iraq or Afghanistan. Was there any program encouraging employees to write e-mails and letters to the combat troops or to send holiday greetings? Did the store make contributions to the USO? Did it send snacks, toiletries, and habitability items to Marines and soldiers in the war zone? No one knew of any such efforts.

I received an e-mail, the four-score-and-seventh forwarding of a letter attributed to "an army chaplain in Iraq." The letter does not indicate the specific unit or its geographical location, but it rails against the media in general and NBC News in particular for not supporting our troops. For good measure, the United Nations is ridiculed, too. "Please know that the media is [sic] NOT giving you the right picture, much less the WHOLE picture," complains the chaplain. He draws up a list of humanitarian and civic projects being worked on by the chaplain's soldiers, with a bitter complaint that none of their work is being reported. He deplores the reportage of war-related violence and casualties. He exhorts his readers to "support the troops." "You cannot support the troops," he adds, "AND denigrate the war effort." He ends his message with faint hope that the media will "start showing the REAL stories." His readers are urged to support the troops by not watching the news media. "Support of victory is support of your troops," he concludes, after stating that the media do not want the troops to win the war because victory will not be much of a story.

Several of the sellers of "Support Our Troops" paraphernalia on the Internet advertise that their goods can be used by their customers for "fund-raising." Nothing is said on the sites about using profits from the sales of these items to provide care packages and other items to lessen the dreariness and stress of military personnel in the combat zone.

One site, purporting to be constructed by the Special Forces Association, decries all the yellow ribbons and "Support Our Troops" signs and banners. Wear red on Friday, it exhorts, because doing so shows more authentic support for the troops than other symbols and signage. There is a subtle implication that those who do not wear red on Friday are not supporting the troops. The site does not specify what support the troops in the field will receive when their supporters wear red clothing on Fridays.

At the checkout counter of the neighborhood drugstore was a stack of "Support Our Troops" ribbon magnets in a variety of colors, positioned conveniently for purchase by the impulse buyer. Like the U.S. flags for sale at the hardware store down the street, these patriotic emblems bear the ubiquitous marking: "Made in China."

Support Our Troops.