Thursday January 1, 2009, 4:10 pm
Noted,Thanks,Gregory.

Thursday January 1, 2009, 4:45 pm
NOTED, THANK YOU CHARLES

Thursday January 1, 2009, 4:59 pm
EXCELLENT!!! Yep, our own ribbon says "Bring Our Troops HOME"~

Thursday January 1, 2009, 5:37 pm
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW PATRIOTISM IS NOW A SELLABLE ITEM....one company gets the idea then another changes the message ..next the stores are taking their cut out of the profits from the sales of the same.A better use for the money used to purchase these ribbons would be to give to a homeless person..chances are the person is a veteran which is in itself a sad fact.Donate material to a VA hospital or ask if they have a local group that needs/uses the material to make lap quilts, covers for oxygen tanks, Purchase cards and sign and give to a local veteran hospital for the staff to hand out to veterans for their birthdays....
The yellow ribbons..just another great sales pitch...Hmmm wouldn't it be nice if the ribbons had a "used by date so we could get all our kids back home before the date expired...ahh but i guess I'm a dreamer.-

Thursday January 1, 2009, 6:21 pm
The problem with joining the military,is that you may end up fighting in a crap war.All things considered,there are few clearcut necessary actions-fighting the nazi filth in World War Two,is a clear example,maybe Bosnia was a necessary intervention..but there are a lot more wars,that just involve serving the interests of the ruling elite.
Im as patriotic to Britain as the next person,(the welfare state ,rule of law,green fields of William Blake,not the hideous monarchy) but my internationalism is equally important as is my humanism and belief in social democracy-that means that I abhor the false flag wars ,fought for the ruling class-ie World War one.
Its a necessary feature of military service,that personnell follow orders though,which means a willingness to do as you are told.The fact is,that troops are more often than not,ruthlessly used to extend market penetration,colonise minerals,and shore up a bogus patriotism which is a means of subjugating the lower orders..
It is generally the working class who do the fighting,and sacrifice blood,and it is the rich who take no risk,and gain all benefits.
I wear a poppy once a year to honour the war dead,only because 1) of the sacrifice,of usually misled boys from uneducated and poor backgrounds.2)because we played a part in saving the world, from a great evil-between 1939 and 1945.

Thursday January 1, 2009, 6:46 pm
Noted,Thanks,Gregory

Thursday January 1, 2009, 7:32 pm
Things have been said by many before, Gandhi, an eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind, "or dead, Tom Paine, "an avidity to punish is to be avoided, to Arlo Guthrie today, "Justice is for the faint of heart." Makes me wonder why justice is spelt just ice?

Thursday January 1, 2009, 7:59 pm
Ahh Panda words of wisdom...well said.and I agree..sometimes action is needed but as one of the earliest anti-war song states...'I didn't raise my boy to be a solidier . I didn't raise him to kill another mother's son'
Michael...war is cold and deadens one's feeling where all become numb..so ice is how just- ice is executed in most cases

Thursday January 1, 2009, 8:24 pm
Good video, thank Gregory, and for all the other comments made here. They all make perfect sense in an imperfect world ruled by the privileged, and a monster at the helm of a sinking ship, issuing orders to send our sons and daughters off to fight a war. But the moron didn't offer to send his daughters off to fight in Iraq. Just yours and mine. His are too precious to sacrifice in his illegal wars. One day he will reap what he has sowed, and only his god will have mercy on his sick soul. As for me I would like to see him hung in a public square, but before that put in stocks so we can mock him the way he mocks us. Then hang the maggot puke. And Cheney too for he was the architect of the Iraq war. Cheney had been to Iraq many times, and I have seen photos of him shaking hands with Saddam Hussein and saying, "you are a good friend to America." Then 10 yrs. call him the worse dictator in history and then attack his country because he tried to kill the pukes Nazi daddy. I have no decent words for George W Bush and his family, especially the racist white haired witch of a mother who brought the little puke into this world to wreak havoc among all nations and people's. He deserves more than death. But then death cures everything. It is final, and there's no coming back from death. And that would be a good place for the likes of George W Bush, his daddy, his mommy, and his brat twins. I have not ever hated anyone in my life until George W Bush and his thugs came along. Now I hate them with a passion. I hate the entire Bush family and wish them the evil they perpetrated upon us. I like the way the word justice was separated into just-ice...has a nice ring to it.

Thursday January 1, 2009, 10:12 pm
"How about supporting the troops by making sure they're not sent to die in illegal, ill-conceived wars waged by lying psychopaths?"

Thank you. And thanks to former US Marine and UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter for his work in exposing the greedy, disgusting, lying armchair-warriors who send other people's kids off to war.

Thursday January 1, 2009, 10:18 pm
My own ribbon: "Bring Our Troops HOME" was obtained with a small donation to a veterans' families organization, not via profits to a store etc~~~

Thursday January 1, 2009, 10:23 pm
When one of my own sons entered the Army (against my wishes, yet to provide for his own baby son), the lyric always on my mind was "be the first one on your block to have your boy come home in a box..."
I fully support troops, but not the military complex nor those who send them to war~~~

Friday January 2, 2009, 5:16 am
TY I hate The War wondering how many will die today

Friday January 2, 2009, 7:41 am
I hate war I hate blood I heat dead return troops home they miss thrir familes

Friday January 2, 2009, 8:11 am
THANK YOU GREGORY FOR POSTING... NOTED!

Friday January 2, 2009, 8:11 am
Excellent comments everyone!

Stephen ~ I understand your hatred of Bush. We've been told never to hate anyone. Well, I had to make an exception too, if I was to be true to myself. I hate what Bush represents: the worst levels that humanity can sink to. The reason we must hold Bush to the fire is to send a definite message to any other imbecile out there that they will be held accountable. This is the only way to protect humanity from the monsters.

Along with taking off the yellow ribbons, I suggest those same folks with these ribbons open their doors to the returning vets who are maimed, homeless and cannot take care of their families properly. That is one of the best way to support the troops: put their money and heart where their mouth is.

Another great way to support the troops is not send them to fight illegal wars. Thank you Gregory.

Friday January 2, 2009, 9:07 am
Thanks, Greg. Black ribbons may be a good idea. It will be convenient, too, for folks whose ribbons are dark with age now after hanging on trees for five years, eight months, and still hanging 4221 dead U.S. solders and
620 Billion Dollars later.

Mary

Friday January 2, 2009, 1:20 pm
As the widow of a vet all i can say is Amen to that

Friday January 2, 2009, 1:37 pm
In my day we did wear black arm bands and used black ribbons. It is noticable and is a poignant statement!

Friday January 2, 2009, 3:03 pm
I wish I could get my beloved sister to read the comments posted here. She has 3 sons. She wants to send her youngest to the Army. I asked her why. She responded with, To serve his country and then went on to how other ancestors had served their country to which I replied that , now, they are not fighting for their country but for corporate interest. She replied, rather indignantly, with, that is your opinion! to which I replied, no! it is a fact and if she would look into it a little further, she too, would find that the war on terrorism is a fabricated war. It's sad that people are so ill informed, even if it is my Sis!

Friday January 2, 2009, 3:43 pm
I sure feel for you, Ray! I know how tough that can get! Thousands (+) veterans (& their families) are VERY anti-war. Historically most clung to patriotism as a balm for pains, however, in recent decades they have come to realize the truth and destruction of so many lives and therefore do not promote the military. We support our troops without encouraging our descendants to get involved. Is she aware of the military families against war (et al) organizations? Perhaps, you can have a reality talk with your nephews... I certainly wish them much luck & without the miitary - unless they do join then they'd have my prayers too!!!

Friday January 2, 2009, 3:45 pm
Bring all the boys home from all over this planet. All they are doing is protecting corporate interests.

Friday January 2, 2009, 4:03 pm
AMEN! I always thought those ribbons were a huge waste of money, and wondered why anyone would support the idea of losing a child. I want Bush taken to task for the lives lost due to his lies.

Friday January 2, 2009, 4:09 pm
War is over if you want it.

Thank you Gregory.

The world sentiment does seem to be turning, for the good. Give peace a chance.

Friday January 2, 2009, 7:25 pm
all of those "support the troops" magnets ive ever seen have been made in china, anyway...

support the troops indeed...

Friday January 2, 2009, 7:44 pm
Great comments and an excellent video. Fit right in with a Netflix movie/documentary I watched earlier called "Why We Fight." If you have not seen it, I recommend it. War by its very nature is as close to evil as you can get. We are talking about the killing of others of "us" (humans). And, while I do not care much for humans in general, I definitely believe that consciously and purposely destroying another life, be it child, adult, or old granny, is wrong. Wrap it up in a package called "more money and power for the greedy" and one can smell the smoke, feel the flames. The military/industrial/political/corporate complex has won, for the moment. But, all empires die, especially those with the most arrogance. They just fall harder.

Friday January 2, 2009, 8:21 pm
Thanks Gregory. As usual, you're on the ball. You must spend most of your day reading the news and watching YouTube. I'm not having a shot at you when I say that. I agree with you about the black ribbons, but wouldn't be surprised if the Government had something to do with the whole affair. By the way, that is a stunning photo or 'artwork' of the whole evemt as it took place.

Saturday January 3, 2009, 10:56 am
Great article, great comments - We have a saying, too - "Justice may be delayed but she is never denied." In which case, Bush and Cheney should be afraid - very afraid.

Sunday January 4, 2009, 4:19 am
Perhaps the way around the black ribbons and such made in China and profiting the corp$ is to tie a simple black ribbon to your car antenna or front door, or any place else you can think of! When anyone asks the significance of it, they can be enlightened to the reasons. Just a thought and one which I'll be using.
Thanx as ever Gregory for your continued efforts to bring sanity to our world!


You know there really is still a chance for peace and that chance will definitely increase if we each do our piece. So let’s make peace -- in our homes, in our own hearts, in our relationships, in our communities, in all of our dealings and in the world. Peace be with us all.

Monday January 5, 2009, 6:04 am
Unfortunately, the whole "ribbon" craze has gotten out of hand. Pink ribbons for breast cancer, ribbons for the environment, for AIDS, for virtually everything under the sun. However, the sentiment which prompts people to utilize those ribbons is a good one, however easily and sometimes unthinkingly displayed. Namely: look after our troops while they're at war, hope and pray for their safe return, and welcome them home joyously. And work towards peace in the meantime.

Monday January 5, 2009, 7:25 am
I have wondered how many of those yellow ribbons are meant to show support of the troops or the war. Still for the those who have the good intentions of showing solidarity they have meaning. To avoid using products made in China, well - that may not be as easy as suddenly changing to a new color of ribbon. Find products MADE IN AMERICA on google, there really are still some. The black ribbons may show a unity with families in grief, but we have a long tradition of black and mourning. When at times it may be that troops must fight to protect our country, do you really want to black to be the color of SUPPORT? Support does not have to mean support of the illegal or legal wars, just that it notes you care about the health and well being of those who will fight for us.

I sure would like to see this much concern and effort for the over 200,000 veterans that are homeless on American streets or must fight a battle to get any of those promised benefits when they come home. I seriously doubt that the ribbon color means much of anything to them.

Tuesday January 6, 2009, 7:18 am
Teach Peace. Teach your children well. Get them off the internet games.