Those *stupid* yellow ribbon magnets

Across America, many people have been putting these yellow magnetic ribbons on the back of their cars, supposedly to support the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan...but in reality they are making a very different comment than the one they intended. You see, the whole "Yellow Ribbon" thing comes from a song from the 1970's that has the chorus:

"Tie a yellow ribbon 'round the old oak tree
It's been three long years. Do you still want me?
If I don't see a ribbon round the old oak tree
I'll stay on the bus, forget about us, put the blame on me.
If I don't see a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree"
- "Tie A Yellow Ribbon" by Tony Orlando,
performed by Tony Orlando and Dawn

Which is fine as it goes, but it is patently obvious that the people have not listened to the whole song. It is actually about criminal who has just been released after serving 3 years in jail!

Here are the complete lyrics (emphasis mine):

"I'm comin' home, I've done my time. Now I've got to know what is and isn't mine.
If you received my letter tellin' you I'd soon be free
Then you'll know just what to do if you still want me. If you still want me

CHORUS
Tie a yellow ribbon 'round the old oak tree
It's been three long years. Do you still want me?
If I don't see a ribbon round the old oak tree
I'll stay on the bus, forget about us, put the blame on me.
If I don't see a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree

Bus driver, please look for me, 'cause I couldn't bear to see what I might see
I'm really still in prison, and my love she holds the key
A simple yellow ribbon's what I need to set me free I wrote and told her please

CHORUS

Now the whole damn bus is cheering and I can't believe I see
A hundred yellow ribbons 'round the old oak tree I'm comin' home"

(c) Copyright 1972 by Tridem Music. (c) Copyright assigned 1973 Five Arts Music.
(c) Copyright assigned 1973 Levine & Brown Music, Inc.

By placing one of those yellow ribbon magnets on your car, you are saying that the soldiers who are putting their lives on the line are criminals. Whether you agree with the reason they are there or not, we owe it to them to READ THE FRIGGING LYRICS of a song before we try to associate it with something to show our support for them! Further...what do you want to bet that those magnetic ribbons have a label that says "Make in China"?

If you really want to spend additional money, other than the taxes you, your children and grandchildren will be paying for just the interest on the trillion dollar debt Bush Jr. has rung up, then go and donate at Operation Helmet, which is using private funds to help upgrade the padding in troops helmets to help prevent serious brain injuries...equipment that *should* have been supplied by the government! That will support the troops in a way that makes their lives over there a little bit safer.

http://www.operation-helmet.org/

ttyl
Farrell