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DPChallenge Forums >> General Discussion >> What does "Support Our Troops" mean?
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 02/06/2007 05:05:20 PM · #1
When driving in my car in the United States, I always see these stickers (or magnets?) in the shape of yellow ribbons on the backs of cars and SUV's. On these stickers, it says "Support Our Troops".

Never any more explanation than that. Just, simply, "Support Our Troops".

"Support" is such a vague term. It's hard to know exactly what message the drivers of these cars/SUV's are trying to convey.

What does "Support Our Troops" mean to you?
 02/06/2007 05:08:52 PM · #2
The demonstrations of the Vietnam era sometimes involved tactics which lashed out at the soldiers themselves returning from their tour of duty. I think people later realized this was sorta silly, the soldier's were no more than 19-year-old boys looking for a way to earn a living. So people subsequently demonstrating against wars needed to distance themselves by saying they "Support the Troops" but not the war.

I'm not the best to answer the question about the car magnets though. I tend to be fairly cynical about those and I'm sure I'm not giving a number of people a fair shake.
 02/06/2007 05:16:15 PM · #3
It's possibly another fad, but many mean well by it. To me it means support our soldiers, the individuals, not the reason behind it, although I don't have a sticker.

A lady I work with has one of these and she gets people together and sends them personal items, foods, fun things, cards and letters with words of encouragement.

02/06/2007 05:33:18 PM · #4
Yellow Ribbon
 02/06/2007 05:36:42 PM · #5
And it's funny when I see such ribbons on cars here in Japan. (They sell them in the auto shops.)

"Forrest Gump" was on TV last night. In the Washington Vietnam protest scene, there was a sign being held which said, "Support our Troops. Bring them home."
 02/06/2007 05:39:51 PM · #6
As with all expressions of affection, it means nothing and everything. In other words, it has visceral significance to many people, including myself, but means something entirely different. For some, it means supporting the war. For others, it means ending the war.

What makes it a strange thing to see is that it is in imperative tense. In other words, it doesn't say "I Support Our Troops." It's telling other people to support our troops. It thereby implies that we're not supporting our troops. Since I believe people already do support our troops, I don't put it on the SUV that I don't have.
 02/06/2007 05:42:10 PM · #7
It means to me; don't call them baby killers, attempt to spit on them, or bother them in anyway (unless it is to give them a pat on the back ot buy them a coke), and to treat them with respect since they are putting their lives in harms way to maintain our wonderful freedoms. Just my thoughts. Van
 02/06/2007 05:49:37 PM · #8
For me it means to send whatever I can manage to help our men and women on deployment. I send socks, toiletries, and snacks. Don't forget that many of our troops are women and a few of those have families at home as well.
 02/06/2007 06:04:40 PM · #9
Wow, these are some great responses so far.

Personally, the impression I get when I see one of these "Support Our Troops" stickers is that there is an implied message: "Support The War".

Can you "Support the Troops" without "Supporting the War"? I think so, but many people seem to feel strongly that this is impossible.

My mother once told me that we should support our troops, and not protest against the war, because the reality is that there is going to be a war whether we like it or not, and if we don't support our troops then it will embolden our enemy which will increase the risk of harm to our troops.

Message edited by author 2007-02-07 09:03:41.
 02/06/2007 06:05:35 PM · #10
02/06/2007 06:06:48 PM · #11
I don't think its about Support the War. Where I live - a major military city - the yellow ribbons and car magnets are being sported by mothers and wives and children of troops that are deployed. They really don't care about the politics of the war nearly as much as they care about the dignity and honor and safety of their loved ones. When I see "support our troops" I think of the families.
02/06/2007 06:08:43 PM · #12
Originally posted by idnic:
I don't think its about Support the War. Where I live - a major military city - the yellow ribbons and car magnets are being sported by mothers and wives and children of troops that are deployed. They really don't care about the politics of the war nearly as much as they care about the dignity and honor and safety of their loved ones. When I see "support our troops" I think of the families.


That's cool. I can really respect that.
 02/06/2007 06:14:17 PM · #13
Grammatically, it is written in imperative - it strongly suggests that the reader is to support our troops.

When I look at it, I immediately think: troops->war & dirty politics -> unnecessary deaths -> poor mid- and lower- class people dying for something they do not understand and cannot be explained.

Never I have anything for or against the bearer of the yellow ribbon.

(Unless it is also accompanied by the W-2004 stickers in which case I feel pity for the car owner.)
 02/06/2007 06:20:48 PM · #14
Originally posted by posthumous:
What makes it a strange thing to see is that it is in imperative tense. In other words, it doesn't say "I Support Our Troops." It's telling other people to support our troops.


Originally posted by srdanz:
Grammatically, it is written in imperative - it strongly suggests that the reader is to support our troops.


Yeah, this is something that struck me, too. I can understand why, as Idnic says, wives and mothers of soldiers would be concerned for their loved ones, but why tell me to support our troops? It's not that I don't care about our soldiers, but what does "Support Our Troops" even mean? What does "Support" mean? How will my "support", whatever that means, help American soldiers in Iraq?

edit: punctuation

Message edited by author 2007-02-06 23:21:31.
 02/06/2007 06:21:51 PM · #15
Originally posted by Keith Maniac:
Originally posted by idnic:
I don't think its about Support the War. Where I live - a major military city - the yellow ribbons and car magnets are being sported by mothers and wives and children of troops that are deployed. They really don't care about the politics of the war nearly as much as they care about the dignity and honor and safety of their loved ones. When I see "support our troops" I think of the families.


That's cool. I can really respect that.


Me too. That is really well said no matter what side of the political spectum you are on.
02/06/2007 06:29:16 PM · #16
Originally posted by Cam:
Originally posted by Keith Maniac:
Originally posted by idnic:
I don't think its about Support the War. Where I live - a major military city - the yellow ribbons and car magnets are being sported by mothers and wives and children of troops that are deployed. They really don't care about the politics of the war nearly as much as they care about the dignity and honor and safety of their loved ones. When I see "support our troops" I think of the families.


That's cool. I can really respect that.


Me too. That is really well said no matter what side of the political spectum you are on.


We see on the news here, regularly, when a few of them... one unit or one ship comes home... its a BIG deal!! Families gather and everyone cries... fathers see babies... its huge. And the ones who don't come back..... :(
 02/06/2007 06:42:25 PM · #17
In my opinion is has a historical meaning (see the website posted above) and then a meaning that is individual to each person who places it on their car. To some it might mean they support the troops personally, and want them to feel welcome when (and if) they return home. To others it may mean they support the war. And to others it might be in response to people protesting the war, encouraging them to support the troops even if they do not support the war. And there are countless other meanings I'm sure... To me, it means put politics aside, and just support the troops on a singular level, because many of them probably wish they were back at home with their families, but instead are thousands of miles away...
 02/06/2007 06:49:01 PM · #18
To me it means to stand behind our young men & women whom made the altamet unselfish decision to stand in pride for there country. To possibly put themselves in harms way even when it̢۪s not the popular stand to some people. No one forced these men and women to do this. For this I say Thank you. Tomorrow when I see my son and hundreds of other sons & daughters graduate from boot camp, I̢۪ll shed a tear of American pride.
02/06/2007 06:56:04 PM · #19
the yellow ribbon is from an old song, basicaly it said to tie a ribbon around a tree to hope for the safe return of a loved one at war. Similar to this is the blue star mothers in WWII they would put a blue star in their window to show they had a son husband ect to show they had some one in combat, if they were killed in combat they would change the blue to gold (something like that at least)this would show the price they paid.
In total it is a way of showing they want a safe return of the troops. I myself say support THE troops. I hope they all come back alive, both sides, that is the true way a war is won, when people die both sides lose, is just a matter of who loses worse.
 02/06/2007 07:25:26 PM · #20
Originally posted by Keith Maniac:
What does "Support Our Troops" mean to you?


It means you've sent or will send something a US sniper needs.
 02/06/2007 07:45:50 PM · #21
"Support Our Troops" = "Bring Them Home Now"
 02/06/2007 08:00:45 PM · #22
Originally posted by Keith Maniac:
Originally posted by posthumous:
What makes it a strange thing to see is that it is in imperative tense. In other words, it doesn't say "I Support Our Troops." It's telling other people to support our troops.


Originally posted by srdanz:
Grammatically, it is written in imperative - it strongly suggests that the reader is to support our troops.


Yeah, this is something that struck me, too. I can understand why, as Idnic says, wives and mothers of soldiers would be concerned for their loved ones, but why tell me to support our troops? It's not that I don't care about our soldiers, but what does "Support Our Troops" even mean? What does "Support" mean? How will my "support", whatever that means, help American soldiers in Iraq?

edit: punctuation


But, there's not enough room to say, "I support the troops even though I may not fully understand and support what our government is doing overseas. "

And for me, it reminds me of all the troops, not just the ones in Iraq. I have a good friend whose son was just stationed in Okinawa this past fall. There are "troops" all over the world, not just fighing in the war.

And yes, I truly believe you can "support the troops" and not "support the war."
 02/07/2007 04:50:42 PM · #23
Originally posted by karmat:
And for me, it reminds me of all the troops, not just the ones in Iraq. I have a good friend whose son was just stationed in Okinawa this past fall. There are "troops" all over the world, not just fighing in the war.


And some of those "troops" belong to other countries as well. Should I support those troops? What about when they're shooting at our troops?
 02/07/2007 05:46:17 PM · #24
Most of you see it the same way I see it...as a member of the US military it means that you are behind me and my family.

There are TONS of soliders (Marines included here), sailors and airmen out there that don't feel the war is right but they go and they dodge bullets, they cry over lost friends, they bleed and some bandage people they may have met just months ago. They stand next to complete stangers knowing they may not come home to the very country and family they are fighting for.

I have been blessed by God Himself to not have gone to the war yet, I was in during the first Desert Storm and didn't go then either but I have a enormous chance of going next year (which by the way will be about 18 months from my retirement...how flippin ironic is that). If I am called up, I will go, I will do what I can to keep my fellow Marines healthy and bandaged up and I know they will keep their "doc" safe and taken care of. I may have to return fire on someone, that worries me cause as a Christian I do not want to kill but it will be done in defense not anger or hatred.

Support the troops means exactly that, do what you can for them. Send them stuff, send their family stuff, search the web for the wifes of deployed service members support groups and see how you can help them...wives have the hardest job of ANY service!!! But not only do physical stuff, support them with your thoughts and prayers, help them know they aren't fighting in vain for a country that doesn't even care. As mentioned by someone, it means not calling them baby killers and murders and such...I have a friend that just returned from Iraq and while in FL on leave he heard it from at least one person. He is a corpsman (medic) he heals people not kills them. He helped treat locals and their kids, not just ignore them cause they weren't American.

In addition to support the troops I have to say "support your president". He may not be doing everything the way you think it should be done, he may seem off at times but HE IS OUR PRESIDENT and without our support he can't do his job effeciently. Some say "I won't pray for him I don't like him and what he does"...well then pray that he will change and see things in a different light, pray that he will find a resolution to this all. Right or wrong he does need support.

And as asked...yes you should support troops of other countries. You don't have to send them stuff but again pray that they will be kept from harm and maybe that they will be able to change things from their side and get to go home to their loved ones too.

Sleep soundly knowing the bombs aren't going off in your neighboorhood and others are dying to protect you...a complete stranger.

[steps off soap box]

Message edited by author 2007-02-07 22:48:14.
 02/07/2007 06:05:28 PM · #25
It means NOT condemning them regardless of whether you support or oppose the war. Don't spit on them and call them baby killers. Don't blame them for the war.

These are the ones that guarantee you the right to speak freely. Yes, you have a right to say whatever you want. Just cause you can, doesn't mean you should!

- Saj
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