I see a lot of cars lately with a yellow ribbon bumper sticker that says “support our troops”. What exactly is the meaning of this? What kind of support does this phrase represent? Do these stickers show that the sticker-holder has supported our troops in a monetary fashion? What do you actually have to do to “support our troops”?
I can’t imagine any normal person ever saying: “I don’t support our troops”, so what is the point of uttering the phrase “support our troops”? I can only assume this is the catch-phrase of some movement that actually does something for our troops, so what is it they do?
I think that it’s an admonition, as much as anything, so that we don’t revert to the late 60’s/early 70’s hatred of the military and everyone in it. No one screaming “Baby Killers!” and spitting on returning soldiers, and stuff like that.
I do not have nor want one of those stickers. What I have done recently though is to help (financially) the spouses of those in Iraq by giving goods/sevices to them. This is “my way” of supporting those who are in harms’ way.
I have made the observation that the cars sporting those stickers (at least in the beginning) were driven by exceedingly poor drivers. The kind that go slow in the left and then cut in front of you when you try to pass. I actually thought is was an easy way to pick them out until more people got them.
No it means support those who have thier lives on the line regardless of your political affliation. If this was the Pit I would add the douchbag comment but I will refrain.
I’ve seen it claimed to be used in many senses, but in all of my firsthand encounters with people who display this sentiment it means:
“I an unable to draw a distinction between criticism of the rationale for going to war and lack of sympathy for the poor sods who have to fight it. Therefore if you criticise our commander in chief, I shall interpret it as a sign of disrespect for my son/daughter/freind/neighbor/casual acquaintance who is deployed east of the Greenwich Meridian and, by extension, a direct insult to me and my political beliefs. So shut up and move to France if you don’t like it.”
There are many who think the spitting stories are an urban myth. I was active in the anti-war movement and everyone I know was sympathetic to the soldiers who went to Vietnam. Spitting on Nixon is another matter.
I meant this as a serious question of the logical meaning of the phrase, and more specifically the word “support”. What form does this support take when offered by the proponents of this phrase? Do they bake cookies and send them overseas? Do they send body armor? Do they greet the troops at the airport when they come home? Do they fantasize about ticker tape parades? What?