These expressions to support the troops and honor their service are part
of a general reaction to the way the troops were treated when they came
back from the Vietnam War. I think it also reflects a general
appreciation for the service of WWII veterans who have received a lot of
attention in movies and documentaries. The Vietnam era veterans were
blamed for losing the war by conservatives and blamed for atrocities by
liberals. They were powerless scapegoats:
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/05/obama-recalls-vietnam-vets-treatment-as-national-shame-vows-it-will-not-happen-again/
We can still argue about Iraq. It should have nothing to do with
supporting the troops.
Mike Williams
On 5/29/13 2:00 AM, Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) digest
wrote:
TIPS Digest for Tuesday, May 28, 2013.
1. Re: "Support Our Troops" bumper stickers
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: "Support Our Troops" bumper stickers
From: Joan Warmbold<[email protected]>
Date: Tue, 28 May 2013 17:46:01 -0500
X-Message-Number: 1
These ongoing ceremonies to support and honor our troops has effectively
wiped-out any further contemplation or discussion of our original
ill-conceived rationale for invading Iraq. As you state Beth, to
question our motives for going to war has been effectively distorted
into a critique of the motives and honor of our soldiers.
Personally, I feel this is an instructive example of the use of
indoctrination 'in the free world' that could be an interesting focus of
discussion in our classes.
Joan
[email protected]
On 5/25/2013 9:18 AM, Beth Benoit wrote:
Giving thanks to our military on Memorial Day reminds me of my
aversion to the yellow "Support Our Troops" bumper stickers in the
U.S. Who DOESN'T support the soldiers themselves? If you are not
in favor of invading a country with warlike intentions, does that also
mean you don't support our troops? We may not all support the
momentum that has sent our troops wherever they are ordered to go, but
is there anyone who doesn't want them all to come home safely?
Years ago, when the war centered on "looking for weapons of mass
destruction," I had a bumper sticker that said: "Support Our Troops.
Bring Them Home." Someone thoughtfully scrawled "TRAITOR" across it
with a Magic Marker.
Sadly, those yellow ribbon bumper stickers seem to have become icons
that just indicate that the driver is a politically conservative person.
Beth Benoit
Granite State College
Plymouth State University
New Hampshire
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