Attention must be paid....sometimes

v>non-native palm trees along Pier View Way? A lot
Observations from the EdgeRobert T.of blood has been shed since Operation Shock
NanningaBuzz PublicationsJune 18, 2007and Awe began bringing freedom to the Iraqi
While having breakfast at Oceanside's Longpeople.
Boarder Cafe, a friend visiting from MinnesotaHaunting me for days, the faded yellow ribbons
asked why there were white ribbons tied aroundmade me question the value of the ribbons. Why
the palm trees at the Civic Center. Ms. Minnesotadid they fade? Are non fading ribbons even
found them to be rather sad. The locals at thepossible? Why haven't they been replaced or
table smiled: “They were yellow, once.” wasremoved? Who put them there? Had they been
our response.forgotten and overlooked? Did they occur to
Yellow ribbons, long a symbol of waiting for theanyone else as litter?
return of a loved one or of military troops whoPerhaps it was just the morning June gloom
are temporarily unable to come home, made theirtripping me out, but the “white” ribbons also
cultural debut in 19th century. In 1979, yellowoccurred to me as an insult to the men and
ribbons were used to show solidarity forwomen serving in Iraq. Left to linger, these
American hostages in Iran.ribbons, exposed as propaganda party favors, are
In the early '90's the yellow ribbon becamea metaphor for the superficial reasoning that led
synonymous with support our troops as part ofto the Bush Iraq debacle.
Operation Desert Storm and again in the 21stPerhaps a better, more apt interpretation of the
century for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operationfaded yellow ribbons, is the Tony Orlando and
Iron hammer, Operation Phantom Linebacker,Dawn hit of 1972, where the Yellow Ribbon was
Operation Lightning, Operation Squeeze Play,tied around “the ol' Oak Tree.” Their song
Operation Steel Curtain, Operation Togethertakes the yellow ribbon and applies it to federal
Forward, Operation Ivy Blizzard, and Operationprisoner's request to a loved one upon his release.
Red Dawn.A yellow ribbon was the sign of welcomed return
Sun-bleached, the faded yellow ribbons serve ashe was looking for.
metaphor on many levels. Neglect and time,Of course I'm not implying U.S. Soldiers and
robbing them of their intended relevance, thesemarines are criminals nor convicts. What I am
“white” ribbons could easily symbolize thesaying is that the men and women deployed as
federal government's commitment to bringing U.S.freedom fodder in Iraq are prisoners of a U.S.
Troops home and ending the occupation of Iraq.Foreign policy from which they should be released.
Like U.S. involvement in the Persian Gulf, theIt's not only time for someone to remove the
ribbons were oil based.faded yellow ribbons from the Civic Center palms,
Looming like ghosts, I can't help wonder how longit is also time to demand that we the people
those ribbons had been there. A year? Two?demand more than the simplistic thinking that put
Four? How many thresholds had passed since athem there in the first place.
well meaning individual tied the ribbons to the