How do you support our troops?
Recently, a local business took out a full page ad in one of the newspapers calling for council to reopen the debate of putting “support our troops” decals on all city vehicles. 660News decided to hit the streets and talked to people about revisiting the issue. Practically all supported the idea of the decals with one man saying that the troops need all the support they can get.
It isn’t a surprise that this debate is getting rather passionate with those who say every city vehicle should have a yellow ribbon and others who maintain city vehicles are not billboards to promote a message not all Calgarians agree with.
But is the level of this controversy warranted? My girlfriend made a good point yesterday after hearing the story on the air. She asked why people are making such a big deal over stickers. She adds “if we really cared so much about our troops why aren’t we seeing people hold rallies about more important issues like the treatment of our veterans? I have only seen protests to pull our troops out of Afghanistan but no gathering to say ‘we appreciate what you’re doing in that country.’ Our troops are facing real dangers every day and I bet not even half of those who are screaming about stickers have called their MP’s to let them know what they want our troops doing next…whether that means staying in or out of Afghanistan or other volatile regions. Why don’t they take action that will have a real effect, rather than wasting time over decals while our troops are dying while proudly wearing the Canadian flag on their shoulder?”
It did make me think. If I had to prioritize the issues facing our troops, stickers are not at the top of the list, yet in Calgary it’s what’s getting all the press.
On the other hand these decals are a symbol. The yellow ribbons are a thank you to the men and women with the courage to represent our country and fight the battles to keep peace and stability in the planet we share with everyone else. Plus the decals provide money for the families of troops who are from our city.
But let’s not forget in this debate that the original deal to council didn’t include cash for military families. It was a simple donation for a yellow ribbon for every city vehicle. Council didn’t go with that but had a counter-proposal of selling the decals at city buildings and donating the money…but the business man with the offer didn’t like it and withdrew the sticker deal. He then decided council’s idea was commendable and gave the decals to the Calgary Military Family Resource Centre so they could sell them with all profits going to the right place.
Even the father of Calgary’s Nichola Goddard, who is the first female Canadian soldier to be killed in battle, told the Herald “It strikes me that 5,000 of those decals that people buy and put on their vehicles are a lot stronger statement than 5,000 put on buses or C-Trains.”
So whether it’s plastering your vehicle with decals or going straight to your MP with your concerns…what is the best way to show support for our troops? I guess that’s in the eye of the beholder.
August 29th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
I would first like to say that Cormac’s blogs are a great addition to 660news.com!
In regards to the decals, I don’t understand why the city would not do as much as they possibly could to support our troops. They should have put the decals on the city vehicals and in addition, they should have donated money to the soldiers’ families.
City counsel did not step up to the plate on this issue and I find that rather disappointing.