Posted on 01/23/2005 3:21:00 PM PST by Brian Mosely
A yellow ribbon sticker that says "Support The Troops" has created a big stir at the University of Oregon.
A day after a campus employee was told to remove the sticker from his maintenance vehicle -- people on campus are reacting.
It all started after a university employee complained.
Some think the university may have gone too far.
But for now... all the stickers are gone.
For some it's a sticker that supports the troops.
But at the University of Oregon... someone saw it as a political statement.
"I don't know how they think these are political.. i think they're patriotic," said Pete Baker, U of O delivery driver.
Pete Baker has had the stickers on his work truck... for months.
Friday, a university employee... complained.
Now the stickers are gone.
"I'm not democratic or republican.. and i was really surprised the university deemed them to be political," said Baker.
Others who work with Baker... try to understand.
"These are like their offices they work in them for eight hours a day.. they're going to do something personal with them," said Ron Lattion, facilities Maintenace worker.
In an e-mailed statement.. the University of Oregon says it is unclear if the decals are a political statement.
But to make sure they are in compliance with state restrictions... all stickers were ordered to be removed. "I think it's really a tough situation... because both sides have valid arguments," said Terra Wegner, a U of O student.
"It really comes down to the question of should state employees be allowed to express their opinions," said Morgan Goulding, a Eugene resident.
Under university guidelines the trucks are not be used for political purposes.
The question then is... what constitutes a political statement.
"I don't think it's political i think they're just trying to support the guys who are putting their lives on the line for this country. be it right or wrong.. be it right or left," said Lattion.
The trucks are part of a public institution.
Under state law... public employees can not use state resources to spread political messages.
The university determined that some may view the yellow ribbons as a political statement...threfore they demanded that all those stickers be removed.
The entire university system needs to be reformed in this country. We must no longer allow that bubble to be a place of shelter for enemies and traitors.
how insane
How much you wanna bet that the school's policy is more lenient when it comes to rainbows or ribbons to promote Gay Pride days.
In Maine, during the the last few years we have heard a Democrat state legislator express outright contempt for the troops and we have heard complaints that flying a US flag in Portland harbor would be "a fascist act".
Happily, both positions were eventually condemned, but hatred of the US is never far beneath the surface with these folks. It will pop up without much provocation.
I wonder what they would do if an AMERICAN FLAG decal was put in its place!
Well, the UofO needs to close for a week and strip all the profs offices of political statements, too. That's state property, after all, and I'll wager there's Che posters, Green Party garbage and who-knows-what else covering the walls of their little fiefdom. My guess is the jacka$$ that complained is one of the worst offenders...
This is the kind of answer to expect from today's college kids. All arguments are equally valid, and common sense goes out the window.
What kind of valid argument is there against giving support to American soldiers who are in harms way, and are somebody's son, husband, or daughter?
Simple solution. If the University of Oregon refuses to "support our troops", the taxpayers - that's us - refuse to support the University of Oregon. NO MORE FEDERAL FUNDS. NONE.
"I support the troops, but I oppose the war"
</leftist speak>
"I don't think it's political i think they're just trying to support the guys who are putting their lives on the line for this country. be it right or wrong.. be it right or left," said Lattion.
This is an opportunity for Oregon FReepers to have a long car caravan with lots of stickers parading through campus.
The liberals should just get their own bumber stickers saying "Destroy Our Troops".
>>>I believe the Food and Forgage Act enacted during the Civil War has established that 'Support the Troops' is not a political statement.
This is a school. They don't teach history. They would have no way of knowing that.
Bumper, that is.
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