# Hail the US troops, change membername in YELLOW RIBBON. Or get banned.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [December 25, 2004, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600 "2004-12-25T18:24:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 4
### Author:  [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/61 "2004-12-26T04:55:14Z")
> [@treis](#):
>
> Thats not what he said though. He said he wanted to go and start shooting. If he said ‘Heck I feel like I want to go join the resistance’ it wouldn’t have gotten a second glance from a mod. Its largely a semantic argument but saying that you want to go and shoot people that are family members of posters on this board is needlessly inflammatory. I believe (outside an emotional post in the pit) that if a poster said that s/he wanted to go to Iraq and shoot some Arabs that poster would be warned just as severly as Aldebaran was.
No offence to you of course, but that seems like a petty and mincing semantic distinction.
Joining up with the resistance entails shooting at one’s enemies.
As does enlisting in the US army.
All **Alde** did was make it explicit.
So while the specific language he used may’ve ruffled some feathers, I’d hope that the mods and admins pay more attention to what is being said, then how. As long as the how doesn’t make it jerkish.
And if remarks about wanting to get a gun and shoot at US troops are verboten, then surely remarks about wanting to enlist in the US army and fight in Iraq are also verboten. Right?
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### Author:  [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/62 "2004-12-26T05:08:59Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#):
>
> And if remarks about wanting to get a gun and shoot at US troops are verboten, then surely remarks about wanting to enlist in the US army and fight in Iraq are also verboten. Right?
See this is my point you aren’t comparing the same thing. One is elisting in the army to go fight and the other is going and shooting people. I realize that the difference is largely semantic but we are talking about very heated and emotional issues and wording is important. Aldebaran is making a direct threat against dopers and doper’s family members. He didn’t say he wants to go and fight the Americans or stop the Americans. He wants to go and shoot them.
> [@FinnAgain](#):
>
> So while the specific language he used may’ve ruffled some feathers, I’d hope that the mods and admins pay more attention to what is being said, then how. As long as the how doesn’t make it jerkish.
Thats the thing though it was inflammatory language and in the opinions of the mods (and mine) it crossed the line. I don’t want to speak for the mods but it seems to me the line is at specific actions.
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### Author:  [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/63 "2004-12-26T05:18:44Z")
> [@DocCathode](#):
>
> I do see one important difference between saying that the US should nuke something, and saying you feel like going to Iraq and shooting at soldiers. None of the posters here have access to nuclear weaponry. You could easily get a gun, and it doesn’t sound like you’d have to travel far to get to Iraq. One (while still hateful and stupid) can’t be seen as an actual threat. The other can.
OTOH, killing millions in the mideast with a nuclear weapon is evil, incomprehensible and overkill (to say the least), while defending one’s country against foreign invaders is what I would expexct from most citizens of the World.
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### Author:  [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/64 "2004-12-26T05:36:37Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Careful with that brush.
Everyone should relax with the “broad brush” trigger. I post here and clearly I didn’t mean Me. 😉
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### Author:  [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/65 "2004-12-26T05:39:38Z")
> [@](#):
>
> _Eva Luna said:_
> ing careful with that brush. Also, a cite for “let’s fuck up their country” getting a free pass would be appreciated.
It’d be a lot easier for you to find someone getting a warning about it. I’ll retract if you do.
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### Author:  [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/66 "2004-12-26T05:40:43Z")
> [@I Love Me](#):
>
> OTOH, killing millions in the mideast with a nuclear weapon is evil, incomprehensible and overkill (to say the least), while defending one’s country against foreign invaders is what I would expexct from most citizens of the World.
Except there’s no evidence that **Aldebaran’s** country is being invaded by foreigners, yet he still wants to pick up a gun and shoot Americans.
To me, this is the epitome of being a “jerk”, especially on an American message board. There are SDMB members who are currently serving overseas. There are even more members who have friends/family/loved ones serving in war zones.
And Aldebaran wants to shoot them, not because they are occupying his country, but because they are American fascist dogs, or some such.
Why give him a free pass for his blind hatred?
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### Author:  [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/67 "2004-12-26T05:43:59Z")
> [@treis](#):
>
> One is elisting in the army to go fight and the other is going and shooting people.
I don’t grok.
The only possible distinction I see being made is that in one case there is a formal state-sponsored army.
How is going somewhere and shooting people different if you have a Ak-47 or an M-16?
How is enlisting to fight a war different from joining the resistance to fight a war?
> [@treis](#):
>
> we are talking about very heated and emotional issues and wording is important.
I agree, but I contend the distinction is illusory.
> [@treis](#):
>
> Aldebaran is making a direct threat against dopers and doper’s family members.
That’s absurd.
He didn’t say he was going to, he said he wanted to.
There is a huge difference.
> [@treis](#):
>
> He didn’t say he wants to go and fight the Americans or stop the Americans. He wants to go and shoot them.
So if he’d said he was going to go fight the Americans, what, exactly, would that have meant to you? That he’d go out and use harsh language against the nearest Abrams?
> [@treis](#):
>
> Thats the thing though it was inflammatory language and in the opinions of the mods (and mine) it crossed the line.
I understand that, but it seems that he just made the obvious and tacit part explicit.
When an American says “I want to enlist and fight in Iraq.” It contains the tacit statement “And shoot people.”
Likewise when an Arab says “I want to go and fight in Iraq.” It contains the tacit statement “And shoot US soldiers.”
I just don’t understand why one is okay, and the other is not.
> [@treis](#):
>
> I don’t want to speak for the mods but it seems to me the line is at specific actions.
But if it’s at specific actions, why aren’t US posters warned for saying that they would fight in Iraq if they could? Is it only making the tacit points explicit that’s at fault?
Are only US posters allowed to voice anger at the insurgents and support for our troops? Aren’t Arabs allowed to voice anger at our troops and support for the insurgents?
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### Author:  [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/68 "2004-12-26T05:46:34Z")
> [@treis](#):
>
> See this is my point you aren’t comparing the same thing. One is elisting in the army to go fight and the other is going and shooting people. I realize that the difference is largely semantic but we are talking about very heated and emotional issues and wording is important.
Is it really so morally wrong to try to kill people who are invading your country and killing your fellow citizens? Isn’t taking up arms to protect one’s sovereign nation one of the few “accepted” rationalizations for killing another human? Just because there are a lot of Americans on this board can we really look past the fact that the USA has invaded–some would say wrongfully and illegally, but either way–invaded another nation? Just what the hell do you expect when your country does such a thing, flowers and candies thrown to the invading troops? Dancing in the streets? Only a fool would expect that-- realists expect those being invaded to fight back. That includes killing people, folks. And in this case most of those invaders are American.
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### Author:  [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/69 "2004-12-26T05:46:47Z")
> [@CarnalK](#):
>
> Everyone should relax with the “broad brush” trigger. I post here and clearly I didn’t mean Me. 😉
Doesn’t matter, using the word ‘all’ in most cirumstances is very poor semantic hygiene.
When making an argument, it weakens it.
Much better to use terms that at least aproximate the correct figure.
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### Author:  [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/70 "2004-12-26T05:50:11Z")
> [@milroyj](#):
>
> Except there’s no evidence that **Aldebaran’s** country is being invaded by foreigners, yet he still wants to pick up a gun and shoot Americans.
When the French fought and killed invading British troops during the American Revolution our country was very grateful. Do you think they should have just minded their own business? Does **Ald** have to be an Iraqi citizen to feel like he may want to help fight against an invading army?
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### Author:  [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/71 "2004-12-26T05:52:18Z")
I forgot one thing,\*\* millroy\*\*-- there is also no evidence that the Iraqis invaded or in any other way attacked the USA. So how can we justify attacking them?
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### Author:  [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/72 "2004-12-26T05:53:31Z")
> [@](#):
>
> _FinnAgain said:_
> Are only US posters allowed to voice anger at the insurgents and support for our troops? Aren’t Arabs allowed to voice anger at our troops and support for the insurgents?
Here is the lynch pin. If we are going to be an international message board then we can’t have fuckers like milroyj banning people who don’t like it when foreigners kill americans, but when americans kill foreigners it’s time for a lengthy debate on whether violence is the best means to obtain our objectives.
Faux ivory tower bullshit.
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### Author:  [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/73 "2004-12-26T05:58:02Z")
He won’t listen.
He won’t learn.
He hijacks threads constantly.
He refuses to watch the tone of how he phrases things even when constantly reminded, in ways both gentle and otherwise, by friend and foe and mod, that he’s being insulting.
His one personal sharing turned out to be a eulogy of a woman who turned out to be a family servant (again with no name, country, or age given.)
I don’t know what he’s doing here.
I don’t know what he’s contributing here anymore.
I don’t know why he’s being so coddled.
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/74 "2004-12-26T06:02:23Z")
> [@Mehitabel](#):
>
> He won’t listen.
> He won’t learn.
> He hijacks threads constantly.
> He refuses to watch the tone of how he phrases things even when constantly reminded, in ways both gentle and otherwise, by friend and foe and mod, that he’s being insulting.
> His one personal sharing turned out to be a eulogy of a woman who turned out to be a family servant (again with no name, country, or age given.)
>
> I don’t know what he’s doing here.
> I don’t know what he’s contributing here anymore.
> I don’t know why he’s being so coddled.
Maybe because he doesn’t have to be relevant or useful or non-insulting to YOU to be able to post here. I have no idea why you have such a hard-on for him, but you really do and it’s really obvious and if you think that everybody is patting you on the back for your continual harassment of him, think again. Personally, I find your coming into threads he’s in simply to needle him about where he’s from infinitely more annoying than just about anything he’s posted. Why do you CARE?
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### Author:  [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/75 "2004-12-26T06:04:18Z")
\*Bwhahahahah, The uninformed leading the trolls of agenda
past the emotional righteous with those unaffected cheering them on.
Words of condemnation flow freely on the blood of the other’s ox
while shoes of white prance on second floor balconies. \*
---
### Author:  [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/76 "2004-12-26T06:05:49Z")
> [@CarnalK](#):
>
> If we are going to be an international message board then we can’t have fuckers like milroyj banning people who don’t like it when foreigners kill americans, but when americans kill foreigners it’s time for a lengthy debate on whether violence is the best means to obtain our objectives.
>
> Faux ivory tower bullshit.
I don’t gro…
How does this relate to my position?
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### Author:  [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/77 "2004-12-26T06:07:14Z")
don’t gro **k** :smack:
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### Author:  [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/78 "2004-12-26T06:08:42Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#):
>
> \*Bwhahahahah, The uninformed leading the trolls of agenda
> past the emotional righteous with those unaffected cheering them on.
> Words of condemnation flow freely on the blood of the other’s ox
> while shoes of white prance on second floor balconies. \*
And sometimes it just rains.
Indeed, do many things come to pass.
---
### Author:  [@milroyj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/milroyj)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/79 "2004-12-26T06:11:08Z")
> [@I Love Me](#):
>
> I forgot one thing,\*\* millroy\*\*-- there is also no evidence that the Iraqis invaded or in any other way attacked the USA. So how can we justify attacking them?
Yes, they did attack the USA, repeatedly, by violating the no-fly zones.
---
### Author:  [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)
#### Post date: [December 26, 2004, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hail-the-us-troops-change-membername-in-yellow-ribbon-or-get-banned/281600/80 "2004-12-26T06:11:26Z")
> [@](#):
>
> How does this relate to my position?
Uuuh, the double standard given towards US army killings and foreigner insurgent killings? Could you say how I misrepresented?
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