The Politics of Yellow Ribbons - MERGED

[jbeach95]

London Police Association response in London Free Press (with errors, without name):

Ribbons on police cars not political statement

In his letter, Ribbons on police cars send a poor message ( May 8 ), [deleted] complains that London police have lost their impartiality by placing yellow magnetic ribbons on police cruisers in support of Canadian soldiers fighting terrorism, extremism and dictatorship overseas.

This act of support towards brave, heroic Canadians who are fighting and sacrificing their lives is something that I would argue all Canadians should do. We should support fellow Canadians who are half a world away, willing to leave loved ones to take on this responsibility, willing to sacrifice their lives for something their country has asked them to do.

These yellow ribbons are not a political statement. They are simply a symbol that indicates we proudly support the work thousands of Canadian men and women are doing abroad and hope they are all able to come home safely to their families. This act is for the soldiers and their families.

What is sad in [deleted]'s letter is that he is trying to turn a positive action by London police into a political statement of his own and discredit the police service and Canadian soldiers. Hopefully [deleted]'s letter simply encourages all your readers to go and purchase these ribbons and display them proudly.

Dan Axford

Administrator, London Police Association

 

[MikeM]

Excellent rebuttal, +1 to Mr. Axford.

 

[vonGarvin]

As an alumnus of the University of Western Ontario, I am not surprised that *someone* wrote such a letter.  It is a university after all; however, let me recant my own personal experiences from when I was a student:
It was early 1993.  I was taking a course part-time.  I refrained from saying that I was an "army guy".  Well, one day I was "outed" (as it were).  The response I got was actually surprising to me.  Fellow students asking questions about my career, my trade, etc.  Funniest was one part when this girl said "I know a guy who's a mechanic or something".  This other girl piped up and said "Yeah?  Well Dave here is in the infantry."  That's right, baby  8)

Another incident sums up nicely the mostly conservative views of the student body at UWO.  There were some "days of action" or some other nonesense going on around 1997 or 98.  I think about 20 UWO students showed up to Protest "Hacksaw" Mike Harris' policies on running the province.  Someone wrote a letter to the UWO Gazette, calling UWO students "pathetic" for not supporting such a noble cause.  Well, the deluge of counter point letters was awesome, as I recall.  Summed up, they basically said that the liked Mike Harris and his policies.

Most of my profs were "normal" people with a wide view of opinions on everything.  One dude, however, took the cake for "nutbar".  We were talking about the fall of the Wall in Germany.  He mentioned that not all in the East were up for the reunification in 1990 and many remained that way after.  He talked of this one "elite" writer (eg: her paycheque was from the old communist regime).  She proposed an experimental state for the GDR.  How typical, because I'm sure that HER job would have been just fine.  I mentioned this to him, and he brushed it off (for some reason).  I pressed the point, emphasising that she was part of the communist state that had no issues with a guarded frontier, whose aim was to keep the people IN that "socialist paradise".

Finally, in History of Totalitarianism, we were talking about 1930s Europe.  "Why didn't people see it coming?  Why did we do nothing vis a vis the Jews in Germany?"
"What about today?" asked the professor.  It was late 1992, and Yugoslavia was just starting to go really fun.  This one hair head said that we had "the moral obligation to go in and protect the weak (women and children?)".  I countered "It's not our fight.  Let them fight it out, and nothing gets in or out.  Nothing.  Not medicine, not arms, nothing.  If they feel the need to keep on fighting, well, fine.  But if we stop it prematurely, this conflict will fester for generations."  Someone else chimed in and said "I agree with him.  Yes, it's horrible, but in the long run, it will be better for all."  I don't know if the hair head was right, or if I and the person who agreed with me were right, but, there you go.  (The other person was a female student, by the way, though that means little, I suppose).

 

[steveyb4342]

Im having a problem with a girl around here not liking my magnet. She keeps replaceing it with a "F*** The Troops" magnet. Ive warned her to not touch my car or anything on it and she told me something much along the lines of her magnet. So very very soon she and her car is going to get a VERY rude awakening!  :threat:


                                                                        Steve

 

[Rice0031]

Im having a problem with a girl around here not liking my magnet. She keeps replaceing it with a "F*** The Troops" magnet.

...Anger, rising!

How ignorant.

 

[George Wallace]

Well Steve.  Look at it this way, she should soon have spent all her 'welfare' money after you have effectively destroyed 100 or so of her magnets.   ;D

 

[Mike Baker]

...Anger, rising!

How ignorant.

+1  :rage:

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Im having a problem with a girl around here not liking my magnet. She keeps replaceing it with a "F*** The Troops" magnet.

Why get mad? Just ask her how many she has #%&@ed, and compliment her on how you love the fact she can be so open about her exploits.....

 

[steveyb4342]

Well Steve.  Look at it this way, she should soon have spent all her 'welfare' money after you have effectively destroyed 100 or so of her magnets.  ;D

hahahaha you wouldnt even believe how many she has put on my car! I actually have been melting them all down and making "rubber" softballs for the boys softball team to practice with hahahaha.

Why get mad? Just ask her how many she has #%&@ed, and compliment her on how you love the fact she can be so open about her exploits.....

HAHAHAHAHA! That I will be doing! Tomorrow when I bet I will find yet another magnet {where does she get them all?!?!} I will definately be asking her that! lol.

In all seriousness though it really p*sses me off cause then people see that magnet on my car and think its mine.  :rage:

                                              Steve

 

[BattleHawk]

Where can I get my hands on some of these support the troops stuff. I live in Coquitlam, near Vancouver. The only place I saw them was at the Abbotsford airshow. I regret not taking one. I rarely see them now, but mostly on cars with the Veterans licence plates. Thanks in advance,
  BattleHawk

 

[George Wallace]

https://www3.cfpsa.com/wyn/en/generalPublic/shoplist_e.asp?uid=688180&location=&dept=6


Taken from the Topic on this subject in the HOME FRONT Forums.

You can order them from CANEX online.

 

[I_am_John_Galt]

Where can I get my hands on some of these support the troops stuff. I live in Coquitlam, near Vancouver. The only place I saw them was at the Abbotsford airshow. I regret not taking one. I rarely see them now, but mostly on cars with the Veterans licence plates. Thanks in advance,
  BattleHawk

You can also support the Lower Mainland MFRC directly by ordering from them: http://www.mainlandbcmfrc.com/cms/content.php?cid=123

 

[jbeach95]

Another incident sums up nicely the mostly conservative views of the student body at UWO.  There were some "days of action" or some other nonesense going on around 1997 or 98.

The "University of Wealthy Ontarians" it is still a fairly conservative school. Protests are often poorly attended, and it seems that the majority of the student population (and the student newspaper) support the troops, criticize other schools' actions towards CF recruiters and defend Stryker armour research that goes on at the university. Unfortunately, I have recently seen sympathetic views for US deserters appearing in the paper. Hopefully this just represents the minority's views.


This from the London Free Press, in addition to more letters to the editor supporting the police (this issue has become fairly well-publicized in London, despite only stemming from a letter from a single person seeking her 15 minutes):

Cop cars to keep ribbons
London Chief Murray Faulkner says they're in support of the troops, not a political statement.
By KELLY PEDRO, SUN MEDIA

London's top cop says the yellow ribbons displayed on city police cruisers in support of troops isn't a political issue.

Chief Murray Faulkner, who approved the magnetic ribbons, says he has no plans to order their removal, despite growing public controversy.

"There is nothing political about letting the yellow ribbons go on," he said, adding the force has about 18 active military reservists, one just-returned from Afghanistan.

"Our troops don't have an option of where they go, -- they are sent by our government," he said yesterday.

The politics of Canada's Afghanistan mission, where the military is fighting the Taliban, have heightened with the military death toll there.

Many Canadians remain sharply divided over the mission, and whether being critical of the mission undermines support for the troops there.

The ribbons have been at the centre of a growing debate, including whether their presence on police cruisers affects the force's ability to investigate fairly and impartially.

"The concern is ridiculous. It has nothing to do with affecting police impartiality," said Dan Axford, administrator of the London Police Association.

The association approached Faulkner to have the ribbons placed on cruisers. The chief agreed, and in January the association bought enough for all marked cruisers.

"We should all be supporting our front-line troops," regardless of "the political connotations," said Axford.

"Those are Canadians and their families that are over there making the sacrifice. That's what this is about."

He said since the association has had nothing but public support about the move.

Lawyer Faisal Joseph, former chairperson of the Association of London Muslims, said he understands concerns over police impartiality but doesn't think that's an issue here.

"We can support our troops and be dead set against the war," said Joseph.

MP Irene Mathyssen (NDP -- London-Fanshawe) agreed with Faulkner's stance.

"The message is not jingoistic. The message is that your community is here.

"We have great respect for their (the troops') courage. Murray is quite right."

Even the NDP supports the police using the ribbons!

 

[BattleHawk]

Thanks, just ordered them now.
  BattleHawk

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Where can I get my hands on some of these support the troops stuff. I live in Coquitlam, near Vancouver. The only place I saw them was at the Abbotsford airshow. I regret not taking one. I rarely see them now, but mostly on cars with the Veterans licence plates. Thanks in advance,
  BattleHawk

Sears has the T-shirts and the hats, Canadian Tire sells the magnets.

 

[medaid]

Sears has the T-shirts and the hats, Canadian Tire sells the magnets.

Really?!  That is cool! I have to go and check that out!

 

[Jarnhamar]

Im having a problem with a girl around here not liking my magnet. She keeps replaceing it with a "F*** The Troops" magnet.

Give her a captian kirk running drop kick.

Assault asside I'd drop some coin and plaster her car in support the troops magnets

 

[Disenchantedsailor]

I've seen many on police cars around here.

I know that there are some staff at my school that do not support what is being done...I overheard one colleague saying "they should only be there building schools!"

As for myself, I have magnets up in my classroom and in my office. I wear my camo braclet everyday. 

Just ask them, whats the point of building a school until we can guarantee it won't get blown up by the radical, security before reconstruction, its the only way it'll work.

 

[ex-Sup]

Just ask them, whats the point of building a school until we can guarantee it won't get blown up by the radical, security before reconstruction, its the only way it'll work.

You know it, and I know it. Unfortunately I don't have the time or energy to get into a debate that will probably end up being a waste of oxygen. In regards to the actual statement, I'll be professional and keep my comments to myself.  :-X

 

[jbeach95]

Despite the media's tendency to overblow issues and some people's tendencies to react excessively, I'm still surprised that this thing has received so much attention, considering there appears to be little actual opposition to the magnets and it all started with one letter. Three more articles/editorials in the London Free Press.

Vets lend backing to ribbon campaign
By NORMAN DE BONO, SUN MEDIA

Ontario veterans have thrown their support behind London police cruisers displaying ribbons of support for Canadian troops.

"The ribbons are a statement of support for the troops, and there is nothing wrong with that," Bob Walsh, a member of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 317, Victory Branch, in London, said yesterday.

"The complaint was made that it is political, but it is not partisan. Supporting soldiers is a stand-alone issue. It is not up to them to decide where they are sent."

The issue was front and centre as the Legion's Ontario wing began its 45th biennial convention in London, running until Wednesday.

The magnetic ribbons on police cars were bought by the association representing London police. The force has about 18 active military reservists and one recently returned from Afghanistan.

While the ribbon campaign is meant as support for troops, some say it shouldn't be taken as support for Canada's mission in Afghanistan, controversial and unpopular with many Canadians.

"We have to support our troops whether they are in Afghanistan or Bosnia," added Gord Moore, president of the Legion's Ontario provincial command. "This should not be a political issue. We support this being on (police) cruisers."

Police across Ontario have also played a peacekeeping role, travelling to Haiti and Bosnia to help train police in those countries in the wake of the military serving a peacekeeping role, added Moore.

"We do not promote war, we promote remembrance," he added.

More than 700 delegates will attend the convention, representing 400 Ontario branches.

Meanwhile, yesterday, at the London Peace Garden, the cost of war was remembered in a separate gathering -- a peace rally organized by a group of London women to reclaim and celebrate the original concept of Mother's Day, which grew out of the bloodshed of the U.S. Civil War in the late 1860s.

History holds that Mother's Day, which is today, began with a protest poem against the 600,000 lives lost in the Civil War. Written by social activist Julia Ward Howe in 1870, five years after the war, it exhorted women around the world to resist war and violent conduct.

For years, Americans celebrated Mother's Day for Peace every June 2, until the U.S. Congress deleted the "peace" reference and changed the date, opening the door for the commercial Mother's Day of today.

Today, as part of the Legion convention, a wreath will be placed at the Victoria Park cenotaph at 11 a.m., followed by a parade at 1:30 p.m. from Central secondary school to the London Convention Centre.

Membership will be key at the convention, as the organization struggles to deal with dwindling numbers, added Moore.

The Legion has about 3,000 members at six branches in London.

Question of support
Police Chief Murray Faulkner says the ribbon campaign should not be considered political.
By KELLY PEDRO, SUN MEDIA

Tying yellow ribbons around trees for soldiers is one thing. Putting them on police cars seems to be quite another.

Whether London police cruisers should display the yellow ribbon they now bear, in support of Canadian troops, divided Free Press readers.

Dozens weighed in on both sides when the newspaper opened its phone and e-mail lines to readers, asking them "Should yellow ribbons in support of Canada's troops be displayed on city police cars?"

Some said the magnetic ribbons shouldn't be on the cruisers, while others backed Police Chief Murray Faulkner's decision to keep them in place.

Some argue the presence of the symbol on the cruisers is political and inappropriate on taxpayer-funded equipment, or that it might suggest a bias that runs counter to the expected police impartiality.

"Those are public vehicles which we taxpayers pay for and I don't think a public place is a place to have these separate issues, which are political issues whether we like it or not," said Yvonne Collyer.

Wrote Elgin Austen: "Freedom is one of our greatest assets. Demonstrating support for our troops is something all Canadians should do."

The issue was thrust into the spotlight after the chief -- who insists it's not a political issue -- approved a request by the police association, which represents frontline officers, to add the ribbons to the cars.

The politics of Canada's Afghanistan mission, where troops are fighting the Taliban, have risen with Canada's death toll. One diplomat and 54 soldiers, including six from Southwestern Ontario, have died since the mission began.

Many Canadians remain sharply divided over the mission and whether criticizing it also undermines the troops.

A sampling of reader feedback on the ribbon issue:

"I applaud Chief Faulkner for not caving in to the minority. The issue isn't whether you agree with the war or disagree, but you have to support the troops."

Gerry Coulter

"Someone with London police should be joining the circus for the number of feet they can put in their mouths. Since I'm paying for the police cars, I want pink ribbons for breast cancer, red ribbons for AIDS awareness, teal for ovarian cancer. Give your heads a shake. They are police cars, not personal statement automobiles."

John Reinhardt

"Of course police cars should display 'support our troops' as should every other Canadian's car. Every time I see one, I take a moment to pray for the men and women serving in the armed forces. If my child, husband or brother were in the armed forces, I would want people to support them. So, good for the person in charge who supported this."

Deborah Squire

"Those who are against the ribbons on our police cars, are those same ones who ignore most conflicts -- it's someone else's problem. I'm for our police officers who face their own 'war' every day. Keep those ribbons on the cars."

"I am a Canada Post employee. Every Friday I wear a red T-shirt in support of our troops. Do I agree or disagree with this war? That's not the issue. I wear red to support our men and women -- fellow Canadians -- who are risking their lives every moment of every day."

"How would a Muslim feel being pulled over by a police car with a yellow ribbon on it? The yellow ribbons need to come off. Police officers can show their support on their privately-owned vehicles."

"My wife and I are 100 per cent in support of not only London police, but all police forces displaying the yellow ribbons in support of our troops. God bless each and every one of them."

"I agree the ribbons should stay. This is a display of support for the men and women in our armed forces serving our country in other nations. You need not support the government's decision to send troops, but you should at least support the men and women who are putting their lives on the line."

"If the ribbons said 'support the war,' then I understand it being an issue. But 'support our troops' is a blanket statement. Whether you're for or against the war, our troops need our support."

"I agree with the sticker. I'm tired of everyone trying to be politically correct. These are our men and women overseas. I got a great e-mail the other day: It said, 'If you can't stand behind our troops, stand in front of them.' "

"This is a show of support to our men and women in uniform. You don't have to believe in the politics of the war; you believe in letting the troops and their families know we care about them."

Ribbons support troops, not war

Supporting troops has nothing to do with supporting war. Just as anti-war protesters are not necessarily opposed to soldiers.

There is no problem, then, and no political statement whatsoever, in having yellow ribbons on London police cruisers.

Police Chief Murray Faulkner is quite right to refuse to remove the ribbons despite some opposition in the community: "There is nothing political about letting the yellow ribbons go on."

After all, he says, the force has about 18 active military reservists, one just returned from Afghanistan.

"Our troops don't have an option of where they go; they are sent by our government."

Absolutely.

To be sure, the Afghanistan mission is increasingly controversial. There are many questions about Canada's role there.

There is growing debate about where we should be in Afghanistan, how long we should stay and what we should be doing there.

There are concerns about what it costs, economically, socially, strategically and politically.

There are arguments about its usefulness, to the Afghans, to Canadians, to the world, to the so-called war on terror.

There are worries about Canada's reputation as an internationally respected peacekeeper.

The debate is useful and necessary and inevitable. It has been ongoing since our first war and it will be ongoing long beyond the next.

That is simply politics.

But supporting troops is not politics. Yellow ribbons on police cars are not a matter of politics.

These decals do not and should not affect the ability of the force to investigate fairly and impartially, as some have suggested. These decals should do what too few of us have done in the past, not only in the operation in Afghanistan but in previous engagements -- say thanks to those who have served our country to the best of their ability despite dangerous and challenging circumstances.

The ribbons were conceived and paid for by the police association.

And the message of the ribbon, as MP Irene Mathyssen points out, "is not jingoistic. The message is that your community is here."

It's about our friends and family, about sacrifice and about appreciation. And in the end, who can quarrel with that?

Paul Berton,

pberton@lfpress.com