Red Shirt Fridays: What do you think?
I just recently heard about this idea to wear red shirts on Fridays in order to show support for our military service people. Their website is http://www.redshirtfridays.org/ . I'm wondering if anybody out there has been wearing red on Fridays, and why or why not?
I, personally, resonate much more with Iraq Veterans Against the War, and would not, at this point, choose to wear a red shirt on Fridays. I honor the work done by people in the military the same as I honor the work of anyone (which is not blindly), and I don't support the glorification of military service. On the other hand, I think it's important that we find ways to connect with what's going on in the world, which, unfortunately, includes war, death, severe trauma...all of those realities felt by many people, US military service people and their families and friends certainly among those suffering very much.
Thoughts? Will you wear red?
I, personally, resonate much more with Iraq Veterans Against the War, and would not, at this point, choose to wear a red shirt on Fridays. I honor the work done by people in the military the same as I honor the work of anyone (which is not blindly), and I don't support the glorification of military service. On the other hand, I think it's important that we find ways to connect with what's going on in the world, which, unfortunately, includes war, death, severe trauma...all of those realities felt by many people, US military service people and their families and friends certainly among those suffering very much.
Thoughts? Will you wear red?
Views: 8
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jay "Brick" B. on -
Quick Question: Would you have supported the glorification of the people who participated in the revolutionary war? How about the civil war? What about the people in World War 1/2?
Downplaying the service of my brothers and sisters because you dont agree with the war, is insulting to me at least. We do not choose what war we participate in. We have one option when the unit is called up, War, or Jail.
Please do not pretend that IVAW do not honor and glorify their brothers and sisters. I know many people in IVAW who would be the first to stand beside them and to honor them. Including the director of IVAW, in PA, Who is a friend of mine.
There is such a thing as supporting the troops without supporting the war, despite what some people would have you believe. The first step in this is the recognition, that the soldier did not CHOOSE to go to war.
People not recognizing things like this, is what caused the mistreatment of soldiers after vietnam. I refuse to let similar things happen to my family.
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Permalink Reply by kristine on -
Hi, I am really not meaning to insult you. I am not downplaying the service of people in the military either - I think that good work is good work, and people serve the common good in many ways - cleaning bathrooms, planning cities, picking fruits, teaching...some people choose to serve in the military, and do good work there. I honor good work, which to me, has to do with making the world a healthier place, which involves critical thinking - not groupthink, as Lesley termed it.
I don't support the glorification of violence. I think that when we glorify certain people or groups of people without asking questions it actually has the potential to be insulting to them - it then doesn't matter what they do - whatever they do, they're glorified.
I am very interested in supporting our troops. (I'm also very interested in supporting our teachers, who do work that is decidedly non-glorified.) I fully support IVAW and their demands. I deeply respect members of IVAW, and I think that the mistreatment of soldiers is horrifying, just as the mistreatment of anyone is horrifying. The lack of healthcare for veterans, for one thing, is completely inexcusable.
I get that the military is set up in such a way that low ranking soldiers do not have good choices - you take orders or you pay severe consequences. I am in no way holding soldiers who are on the front lines responsible for the decision that was made by liars and corporations to go to war. I am furious that people who joined up because they wanted to go to college are paying the ultimate price in a war and occupation that is so unjust and so unpopular.
Okay, this is getting long - I'm not trying to convince you of anything - just trying to clarify what I meant. I think we probably agree more than you initially thought. Where are you coming from? Are you active duty? Do you have family members who are?
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Permalink Reply by cynthia on -
I hadn’t heard about red shirt Fridays to show military support. This brought memories of when we as teachers at our district joined together to wear the same color shirt on Thursdays to show our frustration. Our district was not giving us the cost of living adjustment that we deserved. Nevertheless, it felt that we were making a point and felt united.
I don’t know if at this moment I would wear the red shirt to show military support. I only say this because there are many views and feelings to wearing anything having to do with the war. Showing military support is somewhat ambiguous and means something different to us all. There are different stances in supporting soldiers and the war. Symbols like wearing something can represent different things to different people. And this can lead to misunderstandings. I would think that making any point, would need to be through the discussion of ideas.
Not to say that symbols aren’t important because they can add strength to any cause as it did to us as teachers when we wore it, but we all knew the meaning to be the same.
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Permalink Reply by kyle on -
"We do not care whether or not one supports or does not support the war. We care only about making our support of our servicemen and women known to our fellow Americans and the world."(redshirtfridays.org) for this reason i believe i will start wearing red on fridays. my brother (not blood) is in the war and i see the lies hes told and feel its unjust. theres no support and all the benifits seem to be gone. i wonder and worry about what life will be like for him after he gets out
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Permalink Reply by CaitlinH on -
sorry if i come off pessimistic, but how will wearing a certain color shirt show support?
just wearing a ribbon/wrist band/button doesn't really do anything.
one of my favorite postsecret postcards reads: "i always want to ask if they do more than just wear a ribbon."
you can't buy a stupid yellow magnetic ribbon to put on your car and call it good.
if you care about a cause, get out there and do something.
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Permalink Reply by blubberypanda on -
Yes. I understand how very few people appreciate the war, but this is NOT about the politicians who started it. The service men and women signed up not to kill people, not to conquer, but to be there because somebody had to. Here's a really cool youtube link to a Jonny 5 rap that relates to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSJDdofQR7I
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