Why We Fight - And why we must SMAP

There is a very good documentary called "Why We Fight". You can watch it in four parts on YouTube at This Link. I've also embedded part one into this post, below.

Among the other storylines, including President Eisenhower's worryingly accurate warning about the power of the Military-Industrial complex, is one of a retired New York Police Department sergeant, whose son worked in the World Trade Center and died on 9/11.

This officer's story shows how important messages like "Saddam Hussein wasn't behind 9/11" can be hidden behind carefully crafted campaigns and slogans. This is important in the "Support Our Troops" ribbon debate, because the message "You don't have to support the war to support the troops" is another one that isn't obvious when you see the ribbons.

On Wednesday morning, when I go out there with a couple of buddies with "Support Motherhood and Apple Pie" paraphernalia, I will be proving a similar point. I expect many people to get angry at us. And their anger will not be because we are supporting Motherhood and Apple Pie. Their anger will be at the unwritten message of our ribbons.

Of course, the message behind my campaign is that "Support Our Troops" ribbons should not be on police cars. While I disagree with them, I don't have any problem with the right of individuals to put these ribbons on their own--private--vehicles.

If people come away from my demonstration thinking that my ribbons mean anything other than "Support Our Troops Ribbons Shouldn't Be On Police Cars," then I will have proven my point: that the ribbons say more than just what they say.

And therefore, they don't belong on our cruisers.

Here is part 1 of the documentary Why We Fight:

I encourage you to support the filmmakers by purchasing a DVD of the documentary. (I am unaffiliated with them or the documentary)

- RG>