Garnering Support for the Troops

While the American offensive in the Persian Gulf continues to divide the campus, there Adams House sophomores have banded together to encourage support for the men and women staged in Saudi Arabia.

Over the past week, the group, called the Yellow Ribbon Coalition, has handed out some 750 feet worth of yellow ribbon to students around the University.

Americans originally wore yellow ribbons to show their support for loved ones fighting abroad, and during the 1980 Iranian hostage crisis, Americans wore yellow ribbons to show support for diplomats held captive in Tehran. Now, says Thomas A. Aleman '93, a founder of the Coalition, students an wear the ribbons to show they support the troops even if they oppose the war

"Our message today is more one of hope for the troops' safe return than of support for American policy," Aleman says.

Although the group has not yet officially registered with the University, Aleman says that the early response has been encouraging.

"We started passing out ribbons in the Adams House dining room on Thursday, the day after the war, and by Saturday dinner we had handed out 400 feet in Adams House alone," he says.

From the beginning, Aleman and the others have found themselves explaining their message to students from all parts of the Harvard political community. But Jonathan R. Funke '93 says most people have been very receptive to the idea of separating concern for the troops from support of policies.

Funke, who handed out 200 feet of yellow ribbon at the Eliot house dining room Saturday night, says he made a special effort to emphasize the apolitical nature of the ribbons, displaying a poster that encouraged students to "show support for the safety of U.S. troops in the Gulf."

Aleman, however, says that some people have used yellow ribbons to support more than the soldiers. At a pro-war rally last Thursday, Aleman says, he was "dismayed to see people using yellow ribbons to proclaim a pro-war agenda."

Organizers of the Coalition say they are pleased to see people on all sides wearing yellow ribbons.

"The idea that people wear them at peace protests is superb," says Funke. "We don't want public reaction to the soldiers in this war to turn out the way it was during Vietnam."

Dianne Reeder '93, another member of the group, also emphasizes the importance of both pro-war and anti-war activists' showing support for the troops.

"We want to keep politics out of this," Reeder says. "Everybody wants to keep the troops safe message is purely positive."

Aleman says tat the group is trying to find other ways of sending the same positive message to The troops in the Gulf.