Ribbon campaigns are pretty useless. Low on significance and people think that just wearing the ribbon equates to supporting the campaign. Well, supporting it in name but not in spirit. Kind of like the four million smiles campaign. Or the less oil in your hawker food campaign. Or the Speak Good English campaign. So on and so forth.
Many of us are probably familiar with the green ribbon. Every year it is sucked into the black hole within our schoolbags, never to see the light of day until the next one comes the next year to join its predecessor.
I have a suggestion, and that is to save the environment by NOT making these ribbons because they are really just a waste of cloth and money. The environment's already in its death throes, we don't have to plunge another dagger in its back for stupid meaningless ribbons.
But today my main beef is with the yellow ribbon. For those who didn't even bother to find out what these mean, the yellow ribbon represents giving prison offenders a second chance in society. As much as I believe in this campaign, 1% out of 4 million people does not spell good news for those affected.
For most people in society, once someone goes to prison its as good as the person having stepped into another dimension, gone to planet Sartus XII, and forever erased from society and normal social interactions. When they actually return, they are infested with Sars and cannot be associated with. What are their chances of getting a job, or anywhere near another human being for that matter?
Need more evidence? Despite the presence of the yellow ribbon, NSFs who are unlucky enough to end up in DB (military prison) for more than 14 days still cannot enter university. Any NSF will tell you that its actually quite easy to end up in DB. Just tell your commander what you really think of him. Just joking.
I'm also pretty sure that the policeman on TV telling us to give prison offenders a second chance wouldn't hesitate to disagree to that very same offender being his colleague. If even the people telling us to trust these people don't trust them, how can they expect us to do so?
I really think that offenders of minor crimes, like petty thefts, that have not relapsed for a long period of time upon release should have their slates wiped clean. After all you have no idea what it feels like to be cured of Sars. In addition it would give the yellow ribbon more significance.
Inadvertently, the moralistic types will tell me that such people can never be trusted. In that case, don't let me see you wearing a yellow ribbon. I will wring that ribbon around your furry weasel neck.