They ordered her not to put any yellow ribbons in the Downtown area.
I quickly replied - That’s a joke right?
I asked five times and received the same answer!
This wasn’t any joke!!!
This is totally ridiculous!!!
The City of Fredericton will not support an individual who on her own time and money doing this fine gesture on behalf of our soldiers???
This City is full of coward snobby bureaucrats and these cowards will not go public with this issue.
They make a complaint behind close doors and that’s the way it is.
This is one issue the media should concentrate on.
Now? We have a Capital who will not support our troops???
Give me a break!!!
I congratulate the poor woman who took the time and effort making these ribbons and it’s a darn shame that the City of Fredericton will not support our troops!
Maybe I should write a letter to the Irving’s paper on this issue???
Maybe I’m wrong and everyone agrees with this shameful order???
What do I know???
What a bunch!!!!
P.S. The husband of the woman reads this blog every day. Maybe someone would like to add something to this shameful issue???
Maybe there's another town who would accept this fine gesture???
42 comments:
The city of Fredericton cannot permit people to decorate the steets any way they want. Imagine what the streets would look like if everybody that has a cause would decorate the streets. Charles, I'm sure you can understand that in a society we must follow rules to live in harmony with our neighbors.
Solder who are kiling afghani wemen and childron. You support kiling. City is rite. Solder must not be in Afghanitan. You bloge.
They do it in Oromocto. I don't care if it shows support or not, it looks ugly. I wish they'd find another way if they're looking to make such a statement.
its everyone's space, and I don't agree with the war. I hate walking downtown and seeing those yellow things everywhere.
I DO support the troops, but the ribbons are a pro-war symbol. They write 'support the troops' on it to make it difficult to argue against.
"You mean you don't support the troops?"
"No of course I do, I just don't support the occupation of Afghanistan, so I decline... I don't want a yellow ribbon."
They were all uptown too, on prospect street, and the next day I drove by and most of them were ripped down and on the ground. I congratulate whoever was brave enough to not support the murderous acts
Shame, shame on all of you who think the yellow ribbons are "pro-war"! You should be damn grateful to our living( and deceased) WW I & II vets, as they gave you the freedom of your counrty and speech. Seek them out and thank them, if you dare. Don't you ever forget it either....all of you!
Fredericton is a known snobby and "clique" place...they tremor at the thought of thinking outside the box. Oromocto has it right with the ribbons every where. My neighbourhood is full of yellow ribbons( a rural area just 5 min from Fredericton), I can't tell you how comforting that makes me feel, as my husband is currently serving in Afghanistan. It means allot to our families.
Fredericton needs to desparetly gets its head out of the sand, and off its "high horse". And you people need to be bloodly thankful to be walking on canadian soil.
Showing support for the troops means showing support for the imperialist war. I believe more support should be shown the peaceful activists who work for red cross and the many christian churches who are over there tending to wounded and building their infrastructure and economy, but I'm not sticking big wooden crosses on all the trees and expecting everybody to kowtow to it.
If you want to show support, put a ribbon on your own damn tree at your own damn house and shut up about it.
Very touchy blog!!!
I let the last two go by!!
Please watch the language!!!!!!
Merci...
i support the troups but don't support whatever there doing in afganistan (they are there to make bush look good! in a way) but it's not a reason to but yellow ribbon all over the city if oromocto wants to do it so be it but not over hear. I find that it looks stupid.
If you want ribbons on city trees then go through your elected officials. The council represents the city, so get a councillor to present the motion and see what your representatives do. Thats the whole point of a democracy.
Wow.. Charles, you have a touchy subject here.. I would like to talk to the woman who put these on the trees, could you email her contact info to me if you still have it? thanks you can email it to info@cktpradio.com
These yellow ribbons are a shame to freedom in the same way that, as Emma Goldman said, 'patriotism is a shame to liberty'. There is nothing wrong with spending your late nights out yanking these things off the trees -- in fact, you would be doing the everybody who is affected by this war a great favor.
One remarkable activist spent her entire night tearing down the ones uptown, and I love her for it; a yellow ribbon supports both the troops and the war and for that we should all be ashamed.
One of the worst things that somebody can say today is what I am about to: these troops are not innocent sheep. The minute we say that they are pushed into a war because they are poor, or whatever, is the minute we strip them of their own individual agency.
These soldiers are just as guilty as the war mongers. The war is not possible without their, and our support.
To anybody out there who feels the same way -- you are not alone. To anybody out there who wants these ribbons down, there are others who support you.
At a time when the new Red Scare is hitting its high end, its unsafe to say things that would otherwise appear great. We are never alone, don't be afraid to do and say what you must.
-dr
To the person that left the above comment "dr" you are so very mistaken in you interpretation of things. You have no idea what it is like to be so needy of help and appreciate complete strangers that come to help.
Yellow ribbons are in support of our troops....not the war itself.
Be thankful there are people in our country that are willing to stand up and protect it, putting their own life on the line.
I dare say you are not made of the stuff to be in the military.
The young lady who took the initiative of displaying yellow ribbons in our capital city happens to be a personal friend of mine. Only after conversing with the Mayor and clearing it with both he and City Council did she proceed to display ribbons. She, herself, has family members deployed in Afghanistan, as do several other people in her neighbourhood and in mine as well. I have a personal display in my own front yard and I know this lady does as well. Families have personally knocked on my door or phoned me to say thanks or give me hug for taking the time to show appreciation for our Service Personel whom I have never even met. My father, as have several other Second World War and Korean War Veterans, are never affraid to tell me how appreciative they always feel to hear and see appreciation for our men and women in uniform and that if the fear mongers who have nothing better to do than to sit around on their behinds all day long and spout off some of the crap we have seen on this blog, they should be over there too helping preserve our freedom so that we shall all have the freedom to write respectable material. These people need to have a fire lit in in the seat of their pants and do something useful with their lives for once.
Our Armed Forces Personel certainly are not war mongers as some people would have us believe. Service to ones country is taking great pride in that country. If we did not have that kind of pride here in Canada, we would most certainly have the Nazi flag flying here and instead of the Red Maple Leaf which is evident that some people would love to have.
I, as a proud Canadian, am ashamed that there are so many people who do not support our troops and what is really disappointing is how ignorant these people are to the true facts about what is going on in Afghanistan. These negative people should do their homework before talking, they are just repeating garbage that they have heard from others that have no idea what this is all about. These people probably don't even know the differences between Iraq and Afghanistan.
As for the city's reason for not allowing the yellow ribbons on the trees I can only say that it doesn't surprise me because Fredericton is famous for being gutless. It is too bad because there are some good councellors but they inevidably get out voted by the counsellors that fall into the "good ole boys" group!
The city should be grateful to the woman who took the time and expense to put up the yellow ribbons. The city should have done it long ago! This is not a cause like so many others, as it has been suggested. This is not about individuals, it is about our country sacrificing their own to help another country in need. Shame on you people who dare to enjoy the life you have without appreciating why you have it.
I feel more at home when I am in Oromocto than I do in my own city. This attitude of not supporting the troops is also evident in the school system in Fredericton, where there has been nothing put in place for the students with loved ones over seas! My daughter received negative feedback from her teacher for missing time from school to spend with her brother before he was deployed! I wrote to the teacher but probably should have written the school board.
I have purchased the cardboard ribbons to display on my house and have had 4 of them disappear. It broke my heart each time, not just because my son is over there but because so many other sons are over there and they are helping people in need that want to be helped.
I remain a strong supporter of the troops and hope I have inspired at least one person who doesn't support the troops to truly research what Canada's agenda is in being in Afghanistan.
These ribbons don't support the war. They support the people who are over there. They support those who died. They are a reminder of our troops, people's loved ones, who have died, and they say "Hey troops, we hope with all our hearts that you come home to your families." Now, what's wrong with that?
Thank you Sharlene and the last three persons who commented. I was starting to feel alone in trying to curtail the ludicrous comments from those that choose to have a very distorted view of the yellow ribbons. Fredericton can indeed be a "gutless" city, I prefer to think Frederictonions "have a real hard time thinking outside the box". I wish everyone could have the opportunity to live and work from coast to coast in Canada, as I have. Only then can one truly understand this counrty and that it is worth fighting for, and also wanting to spread our beliefs and ideals elsewhere in the world.
It will be great to finally see my husband on Sunday, as our children, but it is only for a short while, as he must return to Afghanistan....but that is OK...it is his job...and it is a good thing we have people like him to represent us.
Well, well, well...I must say I am very disappointed in this city!
The first lady to put up ribbons had an article in the Daily Gleaner and was asking for help to get our city decorated like Oromocto and without hesitation, I called her up and offered my services and support. She started downtown...I started uptown...I am the one who put all those ribbons up on Prospect St. and I'm not ashamed to say it. Myself, my 8 year old son, my friend and her 3 year old son put up those ribbons to show our Support for the troops. No you might not support the mission they are on right now...but I would hope as Canadian citizens that you would support the troops that are doing their job and serving for our country! I think putting up yellow ribbons to let them know we care is the LEAST we can do for those soldiers.
The other day when I went on my daily walk down Prospect St. and found about 1/2 of my yellow ribbons ripped off the poles and trees, I was extremely disappointed that somebody would do that and very upset.
First off, if you are going to do such a thing, take them with you...do not leave them laying on the ground to litter the city! Second, you are NOT the one who spent the money to buy them, spent many hours cutting them up, and took the time to put them all up so what right do you have tearing down our hard work?
I don't understand how Oromocto can have their ribbons up for many, many months and we in Fredericton can't have them up for even 2 weeks? That is embarassing.
My boyfriend is currently serving in Afghanistan and the first day we were putting up those ribbons he happened to call when we were doing it, when he asked what I was doing and I told him, he was very proud that we were doing such a thing, he appreciated it very much and it was so perfectly fitting to be doing such a small thing and getting a call from Afghanistan made it so meaningful. And the other day, after my walk and finding and picking up all the torn down ribbons, he called and asked how my day was, I told him about it and I could tell he was disappointed too. I am really ashamed of the individuals who tore these down, obviously they have NO respect! But...they will not stop us...we will be back to put those ribbons back up because we feel in our hearts it is the right thing to do!
There are many soldiers and their families that live in Fredericton and I think Fredericton should be supporting our troops, and yes I do believe our city should be decorated like Oromocto. Think about all the soldiers that live in Fredericton, Oromocto and surrounding areas...where do you think they go to shop? Do you not think they bring this city lots of revenue?
I think this is the least we can do to show our support.
And one of you said if we want to show our support tie a ribbon around a tree in our own yard...no worries there, I have one around my tree, one around the post in the front of my house, and I have a big yellow ribbon yard card in my front lawn...along with yellow ribbon magnet on my car...and I wear my red shirt EVERY Friday for Red Fridays...so I do quite a bit to show my support...but I feel I should do more. It is in my heart to show my support and I'm not going to just stop with my own house. I think this city should do something!
Another thing that bothered me when I was picking up those torn down ribbons, as I was picking up ones near Ponderosa, you look across the street at the Daily Gleaner and the flag is flying at half mast, in rememberance of that latest fallen soldier doing his job serving for this country...I think him and all the other troops deserve our support!
To the person who tore down those ribbons, how would you feel if you had a love one serving for our country...a son, daughter, father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife...these soldiers all have family that miss them like crazy...how would you feel if somebody was disrespectful towards your loved one?
Those ribbons were not hurting anybody or anything...I had many compliments on how good Prospect St. looked.
So, tell me...what do I tell my 8 year old son who worked hard helping put those ribbons up? He knows and understands what they are for. He just had an uncle return home from Afghanistan whom he is very proud of!
Those ribbons are to Support Our Troops...even if you don't support the mission they are on...they are just doing their job, which is serving for our country!
And as I've seen on a VERY true bumper sticker...
"If you don't stand behind our troops...feel free to stand in front of them!"
How long do you leave them up for and when do you come back to remove them? Or does your responabilty end once you wrap them around a pole? Is the "feel good" only in putting them up?
Who is making the money from these ribbons?
Tell your eight year old son that your husband, or boyfriend, is out there because he is fully absorbed into a machismo culture that thinks that killing other people for no good reason is a way to change the world. Tell your son the truth -- let him know that his father is part of the problem, that he goes out and kills -- not for this country, but for the idea of country.
He is certainly not risking his life for me, or for most people in canada or the united states since it has been demonstrated time and again that the majority of people do not support this war.
These ribbons, the red shirts, the stickers on the car, are there to remind us who the real enemy is: our troops and our government.
As long as i continue to see these stickers on cars, and these ribbons on trees, you can bet that I'll be out in the early morning and after taking them down.
Compulsory patriotism should not exist in a free country.
I think we should start putting up ribbons of the 78,000 or so civilians that have died at the hands of these soldiers -- these are the people that are truly forgotten. These are the truly innocent.
I won't stand behind your husband, or in front of him. I'll sit on top of him and show him what its like to be a victim for no good reason (not a threat, its a metaphor).
dr
"dr" you are a very troubled person, I feel sorry for you. Writing with such hate and malace is not necessary. You need to stop and take a look and your attitude....it is not a healthy one. You have taken things way out of proportion.
The ribbons will be taken down once our local troops are all home again in late summer. They are put up at the cost to no one, except those persons that are doing it. They will be taken down by those same people. Oromocto will be doing the same.
I am certain the next community in Canada that the troops are deployed from will also display yellow ribbons. Each of our affected communities do it in turn. Seeing those yellow ribbons makes us feel not so alone and understood.
As for who is going to take them down...I will once our troops are home and safe...
And...nobody is making money off of these ribbons...I spend my own money to put them up...I purchase the bags, cut them up to make ribbons. There is no money to be made...it's not a profit project, it is just all a personal decision.
As for "Anonymous" I have nothing to hide hence why I post my name...I am not embarassed or ashamed for following my heart.
Sorry that you are so heartless for the men and women doing their job.
What right do you have tearing down our hard work?
What right did you have technically littering on public property? It's no different than the event posters that people tape to the poles without city permission.
I had many compliments on how good Prospect St. looked.
I hate to break it to you but they only told you that to feed your ego.
I purchase the bags, cut them up to make ribbons.
Right, because looking at shredded yellow garbage bags tied to telephone poles looks so attractive. Maybe if it didn't look so absoutely tacky, fewer people would have objected. The magnets on cars are fine, the big signs in business windows are fine, real ribbon bows in front yards are fine because they are private property. The poles are not your private property.
What a bunch of spineless snots for sitting back and tearing this yellow ribbon lady apart for showing more courage and deternination than you bleeding hearts out there ever thought of having.If these so called intelects are having a problem figuring out exactly where the problems of this country lie, they should take a damn good long hard look in the mirror, give their heads a good shake, get the cobwebs out,sober up a little bit and get rid whatever it is they're smoking. Obviously they are in a complete fog when they sit down and shoot off these useless diatribes. ABSOLUTE RUBISH!!!!!!
Thank you to the last person who posted!
And to the others, I'm not going to stoop to your level and fight back and forth about the ribbons, they are not shredded garbage bags, I have spent many hours taking the time to cut them quite neatly. As for not having permission...the lady who originally started it, did have permission before the article in the paper about her. I support our troops and they are in my thoughts and prayers every day that they all come home safe and sound to the people who do care and the people who do love them and miss them so much!
And what about all the men, wimmin and children that the troops are killing that won't get to go back to their homes and families peacefully?
That could be a long time to leave a ribbon tied to a tree Jodi. Or leader Mr Harper is suggesting it will be many years before our troops come home. Are you going to maintain those ribbons that long? Will you be replacing them every few months once they become weathered and worn? Or will you just forget about them in a month or two?
don't worry the ribbons are all gone =)....and btw i can think outside the box and i do think long and hard about my actions...maybe you should?
I heard that there is a "RibbonWatch" collective in this city that goes in search of yellow ribbons and the like and then has them removed from public sight. They argue that seeing these ribbons is about as meaningful and hateful as seeing a burning cross with clan hoods.
If you don't see any Ribbons around the city, thank the RibbonWatch Collective, out day after day, struggling like soldiers to keep this country free.
dr
10:47pm If these so called intelects are having a problem figuring out exactly where the problems of this country lie, they should take a damn good long hard look in the mirror, give their heads a good shake, get the cobwebs out,sober up a little bit and get rid whatever it is they're smoking.
The problems of this country do not lie in the Middle East. People over there are hell bent on killing each other, so putting our citizens in harm's way is pointless. Five years, ten years down the road, I am certain we'll still have a troop presence there and the casualties will continue to creep higher every month or two. The fighting in those countries goes on for decades. Once troops are deployed to a country, pulling them out turns into a media nightmare and the whining and crying from that country's politicians becomes deafening. Karzai has already sucked up to Canada back in the fall by doing the publicity rounds here.
Don't forget, all of our troops are well paid but this is a job, just like a person who chooses to become a police officer or fireman. They knew the risks going into the job, that injuries and/or death are certainly a possibility. Nobody was drafted and Canada's liberty was not at stake.
Government figures reveal Canada spent $2.3 billion in the war-torn country between September 2001 and May of 2006.
The figure is expected to reach $3.5 billion by early 2009 and does not include a commitment of $1 billion in development aid over 10 years.
I can certainly think of better things to be spending billions of dollars on. We don't have that kind of money to waste and that's exactly what it is - waste. We get nothing in return except some people get a warm and fuzzy feeling thinking about a relative holding a gun on foreign soil.
I am very disappointed in the attitudes of some people in Fredericton.If you don't want to support the troops and their families , leave those alone who do want to.WE ARE NOT SUPPORTING THE WAR!!!! The people who do care are very caring people with tremendously big hearts. You have absolutely no business going around removing these ribbons. KEEP YOUR NOSE IN YOUR OWN BUSINESS AND NOT SOMEONE ELSES. You certainly have no idea what it is you are talking about. You have very sick and disturbed minds.
The lady who started this obviously has a tremendously big heart and really cares about people she doesn't even know and has never met. Far too much hatred is preciously what is wrong with this world.This might well be your own children or other family members over there trying to help rebuild Afghanistan. WOULD YOU BE SPOUTIN' OFF THEN??? What's wrong with showing the troops and their families that we care and want to see them return home safe? I can't wait until they return.
You most clearly do not have any respect for yourselves so, I guess, how could one expect you to care anything about anyone else?
You certainly don't have any kind of a life and absolutely have far too much time on your hands to be able to sit around writing this trash which amounts to nothing more than verbal diarrhea. GROW UP!!!!!!!
Obviously some of you have nothing better to do if you are just going to sit and do your "Ribbon Watch". And if you are going to bother doing so, please do not litte - take your garbage with you!!! At least when I had planned on taking them down, I planned on disposing of them.
I'm not quite sure why you are so hateful with all of this...
I did not tie ribbons to start a "war"...I did it to show my support for the troops NOT the war! Maybe if you had loved ones over there you might think differently about your actions.
You can continue to have a hate on for those who serve for our country, it's people like you who give the military a bad name.
But...I will continue to keep our soldiers in my thoughts and prayers that they will all come home safe very soon.
I stand behind our troops...Stay safe and be strong, Canada DOES love you!
Red And White
by Julian Austin
Harvey McPhee was my father
Harvey served in World War Two
Just like him they were all young men
Lord knows what they went through.
I remember on Remembrance Day
Dad saluted those who fought and died
I can’t imagine what he was thinking
When I saw the tears in my father’s eyes.
chours
This country these days it seems
Is not proud as it should be
Do we care about our Heroes anymore.
Do we take the time to thank a soldier
For everything they do.
Have we forgotten those brave souls who fought and died
For the Red and White
I knew a man who served in Korea
He came back a different man
He went over for his country
To fight in a foreign land
He took to pills and the bottle
To numb his nightmares and his pain
He went to war barely 19
Bob Archer was his name
Chours
This country these days it seems
Is not as proud as it used to be
Do we care about our Heroes anymore
Do we take the time to thank a soldier
For everything they do
Have we forgotten those poor souls who fought and died
For the Red and White
Coporal Jamie Murphy
Just 26 from Newfoundland
Was days away from coming home
When he was killed in Afghanistan
He never had a hope in hell
Al-Qaida bomber took his life
So far away from his home, on Green Route Road
That solider died for the Red and White
This country sometimes,
Makes me so damn mad I could cry
Cause we never thank our heros enough anymore
How many of us thank a soldier for everything they do
We can’t forget all those who serve who sacrifice
All for the Red and White
Lest we forget our heros, who fought and died,
For the Red and White
For the Red and White
Actually I have 3 jobs and I'm in intersessions full-time at unb.....
Anon 8:18 "If you don't want to support the troops and their families , leave those alone who do want to."
Well they can do what they want in their own homes, but I don't want to see it on my way to get groceries!
Again, I will argue that the yellow ribbons do support the war - the troops are there fighting in the war...if you all were so concerned with bringing the troops home and not supporting the unjust war they are fighting you would be down at the legislature demanding they be brought home...not tying ribbons on trees.
And by the way I do have family there, and I've have expressed how disappointed I am in them for helping aid the killing of innocent civilians.
The people who do care are very caring people with tremendously big hearts. You have absolutely no business going around removing these ribbons.
There's this thing called PUBLIC PROPERTY and a thing called TAXES. That's what gives people equal right to remove the ribbons. Do what you want to in your OWN front yard - put up a thousand bows if you want on your own trees - and leave our common areas alone.
It is possible to support the troops and not support this war, as I do. And I support those like Jodi who have the courage to stand up and show thier support, whatever the cause. We are so very lucky, as Canadians, to have the freedom to do so.
Those of you who are against these ribbons, I find it very sad you choose to spend your time anonymously tearing down this woman for her caring gesture. I am very sorry that seeing a yellow ribbon ruins your trip to the grocery store, how horrible for you.
The ribbons support the soliders who risk thier lives for our freedoms and our country, they are NOT a pro-war symbol.
Considering the people who go to fight these wars are supporting the war via their involvement in it, we can be sure that the yellow ribbons support the war.
I don't understand how you can severe the idea of war from the yellow ribbon campaign -- without war, there is no death.
Are you telling me that you'd be putting these ribbons up if we were living in a peaceful era?
You all seem so concerned about the Talibans and Al-Qaida - what about those poor innocent people who died September 11, 2001 by terrorist? Do you not think we are neighbouring to the US and it was only a matter of time before Canada was hit next? Why not try to stop those who are involved and help those over there who are also living in fear from their own people, why not try to help them live as free as we do? But, I"m sure if Canada would've been hit by terrorist you sure would want help by our military, maybe that is something to think about. Some of you should obviously think before you speak. I'm sure the men and women serving for our great country would much rather be home with their loved ones instead of being over there, but it is their duty to serve for us, to give you freedom every day!
This is what is wrong with this country (and the one to the south of us) we are all so ****** stupid. What does September 11th have to do with invading these countries?
Look in the mirror idiot, the real terrorists are us. Stop victim blaming. We drop thousands of bombs a day, some just for fun (at the populations expense, of course), these "terrorists" that you are talking about have absolutely no connection with anything whatsoever.
Tell the thousands of children who lost their schoolyard friends that, because of their geography, they are terrorists. Better yet, tell them why their parents are being blown up for no good reason.
Don't be surprised if they tell you to go **** yourself.
Well, as a soldier I am truly amazed at the level of dis-information. I can honestly say that I have never seen our guys kill any civilians. I have seen our guys fixinf water pumps, helping to dig out water ditches in fields after the battle passed through. There is one hill North of the city where Canuck troops fought the Terrorists to a stand still 2 years ago. Sitting in those trenches then all you could see were villages bombed out by the Soviets 30 years ago, dirty brown fields and Taliban trenches. 2 Months ago you could stand in those trenches and to the North a village built with Canadian aid money teeming with the sounds of playing children. Surrounded by vineyards and green fields, a mosque where there was never one before. To South road construction for a road that has not been repaired since the British invaded in 1878. Yes there are civilian deaths that is un-avoidable since the Taliban refuse to allow civilians to leave the villages they hold. But I am sorry to say you people know nothing about this issue at all. Indeed, even less than Jack Bin Layton or Stephane Kadr!
The unfortunate thing is that businesses are now going to have to make a choice. If they display the ribbons they will lose the millions of dollars in revenue that the professional S____T stirrers and student radicals of the Fredericton Peace Coalition have for income. If they do not display the ribbons then they will propably lose the revenue from the pay of 2500 soldiers just down the river. What is the average salary of an FPC member? What will Freddy businesses chose? Out here in Oromocto, many are planning to look for yellow ribbons on the next pay day (15 Oct) and to stay away from those who do not display.
Post a Comment