Ribbons a go go

I've spent a lot of time on the interstates and highways of this city -- tentatively renamed City of Opportunity, but City of Continuous Construction would probably be more accurate -- and I've noticed what I can only call a fast-spreading 'plague': the 'ribbons' affixed to the rear ends of vehicles. The 'ribbons', which are rubber magnets, in the shape of ribbons, started off innocuously enough: yellow with the words "we support our troops" on them. Every now and then you see a pink one and I haven't yet figured out what the purple and black/gray ones are. Lately, I've been seeing ribbons done up in the American flag -- sometimes with the stars replaced with crosses -- and the word runs from the original "We support our troops" to "God bless America and support our troops" to the more vehement "We support our president and our troops." Apparently one ribbon isn't always enough to get the message across; some cars have two or three, with any combination of the above mentioned designs and sentiments.

I'm going on record to say I'm never, ever going to put one of these ribbons on my car. To me, the message is incomplete and I certainly cannot stomach putting something on my car that associates the American flag with God, for instance, or one that equates supporting the president and the troops as patriotism. "Support our troops" is too loaded a phrase to me; in my mind it means I support the war in Iraq and that a true patriot must support the troops, no matter what the conflict. Unfortunately, there is no ribbon for my brand of patriotism which says, "I support our brave men and women on the ground, but I do not support the why of their conflict. I support our troops' right to not be sent into a war based on bad information and unilateral action. I support our troops' right to be completely prepared and outfitted and be sent in the numbers necessary to win and secure the peace. I support our troops' right to know why they are risking their lives." So you see, until that ribbon comes out, I cannot possibly put something on my car that means something other than what I've said above.