I've had it, and I'm gonna come out and say it.

I don't support our troops. Fuck it. I'm sorry. I am tired of seeing these stupid ribbons on the back of peoples cars.

One of the reasons is that people are tilting the ribbon so the little bit that reads "support our troops" in cursive, you know, that sweet, soft writing that is reminiscent of amothers voice to a four year old before they go to bed with that "everything is going to be all right" tembor, can be read without someone tilting their neck.

These ribbons are supposed to be hung up so the message is crooked. This is supposed to be a sticker form of tying a ribbon around a tree for a soldier in your family who you want to come home safe. Not only am I opposed to the idea of using a peaceful symbol of loving hope as a note of showing support for them instead of a hope for them to come home, but...

WHEN TURNED TO THE SIDE IT MEANT THAT THE SOLDIER IN YOUR FAMILY DIED.

I know you want me to be able to read your symbol of commerce when I am behind you on the 405, telling me you support those men across the world fighting for (as Busch words it) Freedum. Instead you are saying: someone I care about is dead.

You want to help our cause:

Do one of three things to start.

1. Enlist.
2. Open your mind up and star listening to outside sources that are telling us that the US is not flawless. I am not saying that we are at fault here. But there really is a reason that these people don't like us, and it's not necessasarily out of blind ignorance or hatred. The US has made some mistakes. Just know that. We may be doing the right thing a lot of the time, and may be trying to help, but everyone makes mistakes.
3. Stop driving your hummer/ gaudishly large car. (Only certain cases apply)

You know why?

THERE WASN'T A DRAFT. THESE PEOPLE WILLINGFULLY SHOWED UP. (or most of them)

I'd wager at least half showed up to "kill them bastards for 9/11."

I have met one solider of this generation I have liked, and that was becuase he despised the fact that he had to kill and said he regretted everyday he was over there .

While I certainly respect the rest for the fact that they are willing to put their life on the line, (which doesn't mean I support them), of the other 10 or so ex-soldiers I have met, most of them were tremendous assholes. This national mentality of love our troops has given these kids my age appreciation Jonas Salk didn't deserve.

Could you ever concieve praising someone for going out and killing someone (with a level of duty and sense of righteousness, no less) of a different creed simply because a leader tells us we need to? While I don't think they are on the level of KKK members, hanging blacks and gays, there still is a level of tremendous ignorance on the part of those involved in this war (going all the way to the top, I might add) as if this is the only way, to kill.

Personally I see most of the middle east as an 11th cenutry culture with 21st century weapons. But I think that education, not force is the way to go.

Did we need to disable the Taliban?

My answer, probably. Their main goal of the gov't was to get rid of those not like them and to do so with tremendously agressive force.

Did we have to go after Iraq?

My answer, back to the wall, is yeah, it's nice to have Saddam out of power, and I'll be glad if democracy and open thought is allowed to flourish in the Middle East. However, after the elections where the people elected a near theocrat of terrible democratic potential, I mean, thats a failure. What have we done but replace a threat with a human rights destroyer. And at the cost of thousands of lives.

But ulitmately No. Saddam could have done nothing worse with the capabilities he had than we have done.

But all of the last bit is my opinion, take it as you will.

I will say this and I want you to hear it.

Those ribbons are propaganda. They are instruments of commerce (read: corporate greed) that divert the issue. We are not fighting a good war. We have not found an Auschwitz, nor or we stopping a regime whose main intent was to kill every minority different from the ideal race. We are lodged in a crusade of faith, and we keep kneeling down to a leader who believes in divine right. I want to believe that America, the land where anyone can make their way, where ideas are a currency, where concentrated introspection will always be our greatest assest and strength, is going to do the right thing so that the people of the world, including our own, never have to die at the hands of hate.

I hate that people are getting behind executioners for the state during their actions and then praising them upon homecoming. Not only are the soldiers doing the task given from up above, most are enjoying it and not questioning why. And we are LOVING them for it.

This war is a gambit, one that may, despite all of my rages and outburst may make the world a better place. But it's still an unknown fight. We didn't find the WMD's that supposedly made the war viable. We didn't save millions of people. And we didn't bring peace and harmony to anyone.
Yet. This may be a worthy cause, even though it ultimately looks like it won't be. This could not be called a victory until years down the line.

These soldiers are taking the same gamble that Busch did when he started this war. They wanted to be there. AWOL is an option. So is the peace corps. And so on. And so on. Much like with the course of actions post 2001, there are other avenues to venture.

This was a choice, and they are the ones acting on it. Tell a soldier you respect them. Tell them you would like to know them as a person. Tell them that you would like to see them live a full and happy life and you wish nothing bad will happen to them. Tell them you admire their choice.

But don't support them.