Paging David Brooks

One of his bobos is loose.

It is doubtful Brooks, one of the founding lights of The Weekly Standard's school of national greatness who celebrated the end of "the libertarian grip on the GOP," would condone a self-identified "bourgeois bohemian" skating around and cutting down yellow support-the-troops ribbons. But that is the problem with a category that can hold both the uber-nerd Brooks and a Rollerblading, Walkman-wearing, former restaurant hostess who has taken up painting -- recent subject, baboon stem cells -- while turning to a channeled angel named Kryon for meaning.

Lynda Ragsdale said the yellow ribbons are not just pro-troops but pro-war. Now that's nuts. One can object to the mission while still holding out the fervent and honest hope that everyone on it returns safe. It is a distinction that those of us who stand in absolute opposition to the Drug War have long had to make -- unless there are a bunch of folks out there hoping that cops get capped every night.

Comments

[Anonymous]

"The efforts of volunteers have been great, but the ribbons they're using are made out of plastic and they're not the type of thing that lasts very long," said City Manager David Durflinger. "The council is thinking of something more durable, something that can be put up and taken down."

No doubt a tax increase is in order to provide the citizens with more durable symbolism.

[Neb Okla]

It should be noted that translating "bobo" is "stupid" in Spanish.

I think a better name for the ribbon snipping skater is "Skates with Scissors".

[Croesus]

Whatever happened to planting "liberty trees?"

[Anonymous]

"One can object to the mission while still holding out the fervent and honest hope that everyone on it returns safe."

That may be a slightly inconsistent position since this was essentially an agressive military strike and the entire military force is volunteer.

[joe]

The military is volunteer, but the missions it gets assigned by the civilian leadership are not.

Do you really want the members of our armed forces to decide whether or not they agree with a particular order? These people are just doing their job.

[joe]

I don't feel bad for the British troops who died fighting to keep the colonies colonial, so why should I feel for those who die in the heroic fight to take away our individual liberties today? Screw 'em. Yeah, its tough on the familie, but daddy didn't have to make a living ensuring the price of recreational drugs are kept high.

(may be a little devils advocate in this msg)

[Anonymous]

They signed up for it, I don't see why we have to jism all over whenever we hear about them *doing their jobs* fuck that shit, and on my dime for Christ's sake. Why don't we all cheer each other since we, the patriotic taxpayer, employ the military? I mean they're our employees.

That reminds me: Do a better job or you're fired, no pun intended. Here's your check, have fun killing people, collect your ever diminishing VA benefits when you're done and STFU. Also don't expect any parades when you come back, parades are for pussies and amateurs. You?re no pr0nstar sucka.

Oh wait what am I saying OMG OF COURSE I support our brave young men & women in our don't ask don't tell all volunteer army! /me celebrates, dances jig and cums in camouflage underwear HOORAY I will suck all their dicks and licks now 😛

[Anonymous]

Wow, some of your readers are seriously NUTS. Hospitalizable. Cool!

[Russ]

"One can object to the mission while still holding out the fervent and honest hope that everyone on it returns safe."

I would agree that this is probably a valid position, BUT "showing support for the troops" (which is what the ribbons were put up for, according to the wording in the article) is not the same thing. That's the problem with symbolism, it's often misinterpreted and can mean opposite things to different people.

I think it's fair to say that many people who pledge allegiance to the yellow ribbons may be doing so because they are pro-war, and the support of the troops is only a logical by-product of being pro-war.

To be blunt, yellow ribbons are pointless and therefore cutting them down is just as pointless.

[joe]

Don't know how the hell CAS could read my post and conclude I was meaning our military in Iraq (unless CAS thinks our military is doing someting wrong...)

I was refering to this:

"One can object to the mission while still holding out the fervent and honest hope that everyone on it returns safe. It is a distinction that those of us who stand in absolute opposition to the Drug War have long had to make -- unless there are a bunch of folks out there hoping that cops get capped every night."

Point is, NO, I don't have to make "the distinction". If our troops are commiting war crimes (I do NOT think they are), I don't HAVE TO support their safe return. In fact, IF they are commiting autrocities...I HOPE THEY DIE!

I Don't care what happens to DEA agents. If they get capped enforcing laws that are unjust - screw 'em! Think of all the kids not being properly cared for because Mom or Dad is in jail for some "victimless crime".

I Don't care what happened to the people who made Rosa Parks sit in the back of the bus. (unfortunately nothing)

I don't care what happened to the people who escorted the jews from their homes so they could be slaughtered.

I don't care what happened to Jeffrey Dahmer.

I don't care what happened to the Taliban.

I don't care what happens to Bathist thugs who were only doing their jobs.

If Castro takes a head shoot from a .30-06...gues what...I don't care.

Get it. Bad deeds = bad people. Even if they were only following orders. Screw em. I believe in the US cause in Iraq. If I thought their cause was wrong, then it would be morally right to say "screw them" too. Pretty tough to follow, huh?

BTW, "familie" was a typo, I missed the "s" at the end. Shove it up your mistake-free ass.

CAS, I take it that if you lived in Nazi Germany, you would have supported the troups while opposing their actions? Pretty flawed logic if you ask me. How would that work? "I oppose the wholesale murder of innocent people, but I hope our none of our soldiers die while pushing them into the ovens" ??? Now that's nuts.

Gee, I hope I didn't have any typos in this message that might discredit the thoughts.

[CAS]

"...why should I feel for those who die in the heroic fight to take away our individual liberties today? Screw 'em. Yeah, its tough on the familie, but daddy didn't have to make a living ensuring the price of recreational drugs are kept high."
There is so much BS in this post, I'm not sure I can answer it all.
Yes, we are (were) all volunteers. In fact, when I joined up, we were still fighting the Cold War against the soviets. Now we've removed a secular dictator who in the past we've supported (anyone remember Manual Noregia?) against another dictator who killed and supppressed his people in the name of religion.(Khomeni in Iran)
And all you can say is "Screw 'em!" What "familie" raised your sorry ass? Daddy volunteered to "protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic." That's the oath we ALL take when we are commissioned/enlisting into the SERVICE of our country. (think about why they call it "service," you sure don't get rich when you're in the military)
But those guys and gals you have no sympathy for DO NOT figure WHO they will go to war against; that's left to the civilian task-masters, who, except for folks like Colin Powell, John McCain and John Kerry (to name a few) are increasingly out of touch with the military, having never served. Don't you think that's a bit dangerous? The last one who wants to go to war, the one who is willing to push diplomacy to its' limits, is the one who will have to go out and actaully fight and die in that war, and the one who has seen their buddies die in front of them.
I have nothing else to say to any individual who has no sympathy for the person who literally "puts their life between their loved ones and war's desolation."

[Anonymous]

I do not support the work of imperialist stooges.