Support the Troops: Be a Paytriet!

You are a Troo Paytriet. You support Our President, and His wars for our Freedom. And while you have more important things to do than actually join the military yourself, you have six yellow ribbon stickers on your Hummer and your wife has 4 on her SUV to proove your Paytryism.

But what about when you are in the Church, praying for Our President and His Troops, or at home, spending quality time with your family, watching Fox News and not driving your Hummer? How will peepul know you are a Paytriet then?

Fear not! Now you can show your Support where-ever you are, even in the shower!



I actually wonder what the troops think of the idea of people buying and displaying plastic doo-dads to show our support for them...

True enough, it's not exactly on par with joining the military. But I don't see why you are so up in arms over it. One does what one can...most of the troops that I've talked with, while hardly a vast number, don't seem to mind too much. I'm sure some do, my guess is, most don't mind in the least. It's certainly better than having some washed up Hollywood legend in his/her own mind, calling them murderers or worse.

There are those of us, who, through no fault of our own could not serve, but would have, I do what I can.

I'm not up in arms over it, I just don't understand it. I don't understand how paying $2 for a piece of plastic (that takes 2 cents to make) is helping the troops in ANY way. It's more of a SHOW for the one who is displaying it.

And it's not really about if the troops mind, I wonder if they consider it real support.

A million of those bracelets (or magnets) sold makes someone a hefty profit. Someone in Taiwan or China... How does that support the troops?

In a physical, and tangible way? Not in the least. Psychologically? Maybe more than you or I, who aren't over there, can ever know. Personally? It certainly does no harm, and maybe does some good from a morale standpoint.

I'm not too thrilled with the "made in China" thing. Surely some American company can make these things.

Consider it real support? Honestly, I don't know, BH. Surely, some do, and in all likelihood, some don't. There must be a way to find out. Some of the various websites for the troops might be a place to find out?

I'm not an American and my country is not at war (New Zealand) but personally I would support the troops by bringing them home. Nothing more, nothing less.

Students Connect with Soldiers

The troops said the people who buy “Support Our Troops” ribbon car magnets are actually not doing anything to support the troops – they are merely contributing to sellers’ profits.

Civilians can best support U.S. troops by sending care packages, pre-paid calling cards or by writing letters as a pen-pal, the troops said.

“That’s supporting the troops,” one soldier said, “not the magnets.”

Military Families Speak Out

An interesting article...

The magnetic yellow ribbon that looks more like tortured question mark is everywhere nowadays, nowhere more obvious than on the back of the largest of the large SUVs. The elegant script curling around one side says Support Our Troops, and, as the mother of a Marine in Fallujah, I am confronted by the command and I wonder what to think and what I should do.

Should I think – the person in the SUV paid $1.99 for that thing and the entire $1.50 profit went to the store, and not to the troops? Or is that too cynical, too unpatriotic?
...
If we’re at war, what is the measure of our patriotism? How deeply committed are we to our troops, or is it as profound as the flatness of the tidy yellow magnet? How far beyond ribbons does our patriotism go?

In the articles I've read, soldiers MUCH prefer that we take a few moments to write them a card, send them a care package, photos, email and let THEM know we appreciate them instead of letting our fellow rush hour travelers know... That does NOTHING for the troops. Nothing!

Cards and care packages are much better. What would be even better would be to bring them home, on that we agree... My little brother, of whom I am very proud, is headed over there again this fall. For the better part of two years this go 'round. To say I'm worried would be an understatement of cosmic proportions.

Undertrained, undermanned, and underequipped through no fault of their own. Little yellow bands are ultimately meaningless, but they do no harm. The packages, as you said BH, are a tangible, physical sign that someone, somewhere, cares.

seagull My respects and best wishes to your brother; I hope he stays as safe as can be.

I have some issues with these magnets and bracelets, that are not related to who gets the profits from their sales:

1) They make the mistake of generalizing our troops. Dare I say it, some of our troops - the torturers, the rapists, the murderers - do not deserve support. With full acknowledgment that most definitely do deserve it.

2) They trivialize the efforts the troops are making. They are a non-thinking form of support. I've more than one time seen people buy these from the impulse items stacked near the checkout. This let's people pretend they are doing something, without putting any real thought or effort into it.

3) They trivialize war. If this war was really what the administration says it is - a fight to the death for our way of life - instead of what a mountain of evidence indicates it is - a means of profit and control - then gas would be $10/gallon or more and rationed, taxes would be WAY higher, and the corporations that are making these insane profits on the business of war would be getting taxed to the hilt and the taxes being fed back into the war effort.

Instead, the war is being fought on credit while the corporations who are in the business of war are raking in the bucks. And these stickers and bracelets are emblematic, in my opinion, of the whole "Go shopping, be normal" jibber-jabber spewed by the administration.

Just my two cents, spent here instead of on a sticker or bracelet...

You can still own one, and, at the same time, be mindful about the issues.

7-11 was selling the USO bracelet a couple of years ago. I bought one for myself. It's an olive green color. Then every few days I would buy another, for co workers and friends..I think Maybe I bought a total of ten. 1 Dollar from each purchase was contributed to the USO.

I still wear mine. People ask about it, and conversations ensue.
Sometimes VERY heavy conversations..but it's a controversial subject.

The only ones who profit with this 2 cent plastic is

who ever came up with the idea.

Does that mean if you dont wear it or have something in your car that you're not with the troops and wish them ill?

I dont have to show anyone how i feel-nor i feel others care either.

There's always someone trying to make a buck. Even in China.

Originally posted by dgtempe
The only ones who profit with this 2 cent plastic is

who ever came up with the idea.


There's always someone trying to make a buck. Even in China.

Really?
No money went to the USO? that's what Southland Corp was claiming.
1 dollar for each bracelet. Seemed legit to me. Were they lying about it?
If so, I will gladly remove the bracelet.

I was going to buy an American Flag too, but those were made in China as well. Sans donation to any charity. I guess I made the best choice.

So you want to support US troops ?
I will give people an good starting point and it has nothing to do with supporting the Republican or cheap bracelets.
A good starting point would be to ensure that injured troops receive decent levels of health care and that the American veterans system meets there needs.

xpert11

Done!
Here is how.
Our local Grocery chain donated 1 percent, of every purchase to a veterans Fund. The fund, helped build a house for visitors to the Veterans Hospital.
I shopped there. A Lot.

I just want to be absolutely clear that I'm not saying that everyone who sports the stickers or bracelets are absent-minded or NOT supporting the troops, I just think the majority of people that buy them think that they are somehow doing something with that act to support the troops and they aren't.

Buying and sporting the magnets and bracelets (where the proceeds don't go to soldiers) is for the person who buys them, only.

Great points, OMS! I wish I could give you a star! But alas, we're on the same ipaddress and so I cannot.

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic

Buying and sporting the magnets and bracelets (where the proceeds don't go to soldiers) is for the person who buys them, only.

Great points, OMS! I wish I could give you a star!

But alas, we're on the same ipaddress and so I cannot.

I pretty much agree with that. That it's for the buyer.
Do you think it might be possible that it could also provide a little lift of the spirits, if a recently returned Vet were to see these stuck on a car?

"starred n feathered" LOL

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
I just want to be absolutely clear that I'm not saying that everyone who sports the stickers or bracelets are absent-minded or NOT supporting the troops

Thanks for bringing this up, BH... I may not have been clear that this is my position, as well, and I have no doubt that many people who support our troops in very meaningful ways also choose to display these stickers or bracelets.

Originally posted by spacedoubt

Originally posted by dgtempe
The only ones who profit with this 2 cent plastic is

who ever came up with the idea.


There's always someone trying to make a buck. Even in China.

Really?
No money went to the USO? that's what Southland Corp was claiming.
1 dollar for each bracelet. Seemed legit to me. Were they lying about it?
If so, I will gladly remove the bracelet.

Make up your mind- is THE money going to support the troops FINANCIALY or NOT?
If it does support their daily lives, i'm all for it. If its Mr. Wang who reaps the benefits, i do not support the use of any stickers or banners.
Get it?

DG,
My mind is made up already.
You seemed to have some information that would cause me to change it.
Something about the only people making money, are the ones that made the bracelet.

I was waiting for some further information from you. To see if I got scammed.
I don't think I did. Was the 7-11 bracelet I bought, a scam? Like I said, I'll take it off if those 1 dollar donations were a lie..

Given that support among the troops support for the Iraq war is even lower than the general population itself, I think the best way of supporting the troops would be to oppose the war they oppose.
Links…
www.informationclearinghouse.info...
www.zogby.com...
www.ivaw.org...

According to the Annual Military Times Poll only minority of troops support the “surge”www.tpmcafe.com...

Of course there will be some pro-war members who think that a soldier who opposes they’re politics can’t possibly be a real soldier; that troops should somehow be unthinking “cans of meat” (much like the Taliban propaganda makes them out to be).

I wonder what would happen if you could poll all the dead soldiers?
I wonder what the (as of over a year ago) 650,000 extra dead Iraqis think, or just the 2 million who didn’t have to flee under Saddam who have fled now.

However: when it comes to the Iranian leadership I'm sure a majority (secretly) support what we are doing. After all it’s the territory of they’re sphere of influence the “dead soldier sacrifice” has effectively expanded.
And no doubt they’ll be looking forward to the 2009 democratic elections when the majority of Iraqis who want us out will be able to elect a new government, one that actually listens to the people, like also stones women to death for adultery, let’s Iraq’s 60% Shiites side with they’re brothers in Iran, and hates America for about as much reason as Iraqis have for calling us the great Satan: E.g...
(U.N sanctions, 12 years of bombing the “no fly zones”, getting rid of a dictator who for all his flaws brought stability and order, the occupation which has been drawn out so long, abolishing they’re police force on day one, letting Iraqis museums and public buildings be looted and burn, letting this anarchy cause a state of fear which quickly resulted in neighbourhood protection groups, neighbourhood protection groups the U.S has opposed because many got involved with the sectarian violence and Al Qaeda.

But yes support America by supporting the troops. Cos we’ll be out faster if you really do!!!

P.S Were the bracelets made in China or the U.S? It’s a genuine question.

Liberal1984, Many of the magnet and bracelets are now made in the USA because of the stink raised about the China thing. Many blogs talk about buying the bracelet and seeing the "Made in China" stamp on the inside.

A few sites brag that their merchandise is NOW made in the USA. This one for example.

Can I get bracelets any faster than 4 weeks?
All bracelets currently are made in China and therefore take a longer time to get to us. If you need Bracelets faster, see below for our New USA Made Silicoane Wristbands and Bracelets which can be shipped in two weeks or less.

Silicoane?

Anyway, more and more are coming from the USA.