Tie A Yellow Ribbon

Let me say I am delighted at the number of pro-America rallies that are showing up in our area, and especially pleased at the number of people attending them. It also pleases me that we are again seeing cars with American flags on them, and new flags flying at homes and businesses ... people making an open and public statement that they are Patriotic about America.

But the one that touches me most is the spontaneous appearance of the yellow ribbons. Look around you. They are bobbing up everywhere ... in front of homes, at businesses, on the front of automobiles. Everywhere.

The yellow ribbons are a direct statement to our troops (and just as important, to their families) that we are proud of our men and women in uniform, and we are proud of what they are doing for America. If you'll remember, during the Vietnam era some Americans refused to support what we were doing to the point they took out their venom on our servicemen. Some anti-war zealots refused to welcome our troops home as the heroes they were. Then this song came out about a lonely guy who wasn't sure his girl friend would welcome him home, and he told her if she accepted him her signal would be to "tie a yellow ribbon `round the old Oak tree." And when he got there a thousand yellow ribbons ... you know the story. So, the yellow ribbon has become a symbol, not only of our respect for our troops, but also of what they are doing right now for America and the world. It's a statement of our respect for them, as well as this great nation of ours, and that we will welcome them home as heroes.

This is Gordon Sawyer, and may the wind always be at your back.