What the F…?

1) Are the yellow ribbons based on the Christian fish symbol or is their alpha shape just a coincidence.

2) Keith Olbermann made the point yesterday that about 30 American kids died in Iraq over the last ten days.

It's hard to keep up a continuous outrage- but we should be outraged.

The author of that lumpen, graceless, ungrammatic email has no right to advise anyone on correct use of the English language.

The big f-er.

I would even say multiple f-words:

f*&%ing, frivolous, framing!!

I wonder if the US Army Style Guide has the following addendum:

In correspondence or news releases, the term "Army Families" should be capitalized, as in the sentence -- "The US Army is running out of soldier, and so Army Families need to breed faster."

Actually the word Soldier is also to be capitalized,, by fiat of General Peter J. Schoomaker. So we get...

The Families of Soldiers are eating dinner with cardboard cutouts of their missing Family members.

Apparently the Air Force got jealous, because they issued the same instruction regarding the word Airman. The sailors in the Navy will just have to suck up their jealousy...

...and it says something to me that these orders were given in 2003 and 2004, and I only heard about it a couple weeks ago.

This Is Definitely The Strangest Planet I Have Ever Lived On.

On the shape of the ribbons: That is a damn good question. I had always assumed they were based on the pink breast cancer ribbons.

I do happen to agree with the sentiment of the email, though. Why not spell Family (In this context, as in family of the activated or deceased soldier) with an uppercase F. This is very post modern of the Army.

But do you capitalize the adjective?

Oh, and is this what the recruiter meant when he said "do all you can do?" Disseminate grammar? Kind of a ripoff if you're the guy who gets to "do all you can do" but it has to be about disseminating capital F's.

Effective immediately, the word "Families" will be capitalized in all Army correspondence.

This looked better in the original German. ;)

Effective immediately, the words "Stupid" and "Shitheads" will be capitalized in all non-Army correspondence about the Army. Please ensure wide dissemination of this change.

Thanks for your continued efforts to do all you can to provide steadfast criticism of the Stupid Shitheads in the Army.

This looked better in the original German. ;)

Quite so. In german it makes sense that all Nouns begin with a capital Letter, because Nouns, Adjectives and Verbs are (due to Grammar) sometimes identical and can only be told apart by the Intonation_pattern of the Sentence, which doesn't get written down, if you know what i mean.

You're all just a bunch of anti-capitalists.

While walking through a parking lot a year or so ago I happened to read the fine print on one of those yellow ribbon stickers. It said, Support Chinese Yellow Ribbon Manufactureres.

This is quite clever.

As everyone knows, you can never go against the Families.

This is what you get for electing a War President. I am speaking to all the right-wingers reading this, of course.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful, guys, but isn't there something...more you could do to help 'Army Families' than capitalize the fucking noun? Gee, I dunno, like provide funding for the VA so our wounded troops don't rot in roach motels? Or, I know! How about admitting that we were swindled into a war without enemy or end by the greedy corporate puppetmasters behind Bushco, and getting our soldiers the fuck out so they can be Alive and Not Blown Up for their Army Families?

Foolish are they who would mock God Himself with their prideful Capitalization.

Apparently "Boss" and "Power" should also be capitalized.

http://www.livescience.com/humanbiology/070116_power_perspective.html

"Past studies also have found that people with power became less inhibited and were more likely to act on impulses, while those with less power were more concerned about risks and felt more vulnerable.

"Basically, these findings together paint powerful people as impulsive and oblivious, while the powerless are more cautious and worried," Princeton University social psychologist Susan Fiske said in a telephone interview. Fiske did not participate in the study, which is reported in the latest issue of the journal Psychological Science."

Does that remind you of anyone?

S o
N o one
A lienates
F amilies,
U nderstand?

FUBAR - Families Under Bush Are (w)Recked.

'Families' would be a nice name for those cardboard cutouts that the Army gives to actual families of those serving. You know, to make the whole thing even more pointless and surreal.

Yellow ribbons were first used as a symbol of wanting family members to come home safe during the Iranian Hostage Crisis, people getting the idea from the '70s hit "Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree." Ironically in the original song the idea was that the narrator of the song was a convict who just got out of jail, and that the ribbon, tied around an oak tree, would show his wife still wanted him in her life. After the wife of one of the hostages tied a yellow ribbon around a tree in her yard the idea soon caught on. The idea got revived during Operation Desert Storm.

Best ribbon Ive seen so far (with the stars and stripes background, of course):

"Just Pretend it's All OK."

Think the neocons would even get it?

Cheers.

This sounds like another fools errand generated by right-wing iconism. There's a huge chance people won't even notice this change. Also, maybe support for the families could be shown by having a fully-funded VA for their sons and daughters when they return, or by giving ALL soldiers the proper equipment for their jobs.

That's how you support families. Thanking them for their sacrifices is only step 1 in the process. Giving them the help and support they need at the elbowgrease level is the real test of this country's support for them. Sadly, most are just ready to give the words and not the hands.

I think I've missed something - what is the point of capitalizing the word "family" in the first place? Is it supposed to serve a political agenda? I'm honestly confused.

They capitalize like christians.

It seems bat-squeeze wingnuts can't resist the urge to capitalize every word they think is important.

Imagine everybody else used the red-meat-red-state captialization technique. What words would the Pharyngula set need to venerate through excessive and grammatically-unfounded capitalization?

"Have you Read Pharyngula today? I always look forward to the discussions about Evolution, Development, and random Biological ejaculations from a godless Liberal"

Are the yellow ribbons based on the Christian fish symbol or is their alpha shape just a coincidence.

Could be convergence, or exapting a spandrel :)

Shades of Catch 22 here. I'm sure Heller would not be surprised that the military brass hasn't learned to worry about more important things in sixty years of warfare since WWII.

Christian -- the shape of the ribbon is a coincidence. The "tied-off" look began initially in the 80s when activists were using red ribbons to raise AIDS awareness, and it's absolutely certain that there was no intended convergence with Bible-whoppers.

As for this [PZ]:

I always thought those stupid yellow ribbon magnet that people stuck on their cars were insulting in their triviality

That's why I did this.

Ironically in the original song the idea was that the narrator of the song was a convict who just got out of jail, and that the ribbon, tied around an oak tree, would show his wife still wanted him in her life.

Yah, I've always thought it was odd to Support the Troops(tm) by implying that they're criminals in need of forgiveness. Seems like the good Dog-fearing conservative patriots are unknowingly doing exactly what they (falsely) accuse hippie liberals of having done to returning Vietnam vets.

I think I've missed something - what is the point of capitalizing the word "family" in the first place? Is it supposed to serve a political agenda? I'm honestly confused.

They are getting people killed in a pointless, counter-productive war and treating the wounded like shit when they come home but they want to let everyone know that they still Care.

Shades of Rumsfeld. I'm guessing he was consulted on this.

I've been watching too much Sopranos, I guess.

Capitalizing 'Family' makes me think "Which one? Gambino, Genovese?"

Sorry... Sense, of course.

Anyway:

Ah, I can't post images. Read http://www.antimagnet.com on your own then.

As an Air Force officer, I find capitalization of words a trivial ploy at best. If we want to show support for our troops, we should bring them home from an increasingly violent and pointless war in Iraq.

Do you think this dictum applies everywhere? For instance, a tract about base housing would mention that the kitchens have nice Families of Kenmore or GE appliances?

The yellow ribbon symbol - specifically the wearing of it to commemorate an absent soldier SIGNIFICANTLY predates both the 70's song and the Iranian hostage crisis.

How old? Hard to say. I SUSPECT that the yellow color is derived from old 19th century US cavalry uniforms. The practice could go back to the English Civil War or farther.

The association with returning convicts seems to be an artefact of that particular song, but could have occurred in the context of PoWs at any time...

In fact, all the OTHER symbolic ribbons (pink, red etc.) worn as a specific signifier probably descend from the yellow ribbon... Mind you the practice or 'armbanding' to indicate factional allegiance goes back MUCH further.

None of this pedigree is to suggest that the capitalization of random words and the ostentatious display of plastic knock offs in the absence pof material support doesn't substantially cheapen all involved...

GMH

I spent my time in Iraq, I personally never had a strong affinity for the ribbons. I was glad that my parents and friends did not sport them everywhere.

As for the email about "Families", I helped out with my unit's Family Readiness Group for a brief period when I was transitioning. It was an extremely challenging job to help coordinate events and communications among the wives. Most families take out their anger on the soldiers coordinating the Family Readiness Group.

What I do not understand is, why does anyone cares if the Army makes an internal policy regarding how it corresponds with soldiers families? Its a delicate subject and if they think it will make some families feel better, then I am not going to criticize them. It is not like the Army Chief of Staff came and took a dump in your cereal. He, like most of the rest of the soldiers, are just trying to keep things running while the politicians take us all for a ride.

Personal opinions and debates on the legitimacy of the war are a separate issue. There are much better things to complain about then how the Family Readiness Group corresponds with its civilian families.

Military: We can't replace your son or daughter, but we will capitalize the word, "Family," in official communications.

Family: Do you mean it?

Military: Yes. And you're in our prayers.

Family: Oh, thank you! A capital letter and a prayer, and all we had to do was sacrifice our child!

I have more respect for the people who actually put a sticker on their car (like my coworkers, who have relatives in the Canadian Forces), than those weasels who put a friggin' magnet on their BMW or SUV. They "Support the troops" as long as it doesn't ruin their paintjobs.

There are better ways to support the troops than jingoistic paraphenalia.

Anthony:
I think the point here is that if one is to pay detail and attention to matters of importance, it would be more seemly if there was a declaration that paperwork be simplified so injured veteran would have more immediate access to out-patient care. Perhaps a declaration that correspondence to families of our troops must contain enough information as to answer questions, rather than raise them.

I am sensitive to your concern. Let them capitalize the "F". Just put it lower on the list of things that needs to get done.

FP:
thanks for the links. A group in my neighborhood collected over a hunderd phone cards, and started an adopt a soldier program. It is rewarding to know that at the local level, individuals are working shoulder to shoulder to support our young men and women, regardless of their support of the war.
(Showing once again how out of step our government's rhetoric is with the reality of the American people.)

This looked better in the original German. ;)

Quite so. In german it makes sense that all Nouns begin with a capital Letter, because Nouns, Adjectives and Verbs are (due to Grammar) sometimes identical and can only be told apart by the Intonation_pattern of the Sentence, which doesn't get written down, if you know what i mean.

Sorry... Sense, of course.

Anyway:

Ah, I can't post images. Read http://www.antimagnet.com on your own then.