CSTB’s loyal canine mascot and I made our usual 5am stop at the local 7-11, and we were greeted by a display containing puke-green “Support Our Troops” bracelets. The packaging claimed that $1.00 from the sale of each bracelet would benefit the U.S.O. I asked the kindly lady behind the counter where the remaining $1.99 went — she snapped that the bracelets costs $1.99 to manufacture.
Perhaps this is true — that it costs $1.99 each to make a zillion puke-green bracelets (in China, even). But this seems highly unlikely.
In other 7-11 news, the Orange Creme Slurpee has been discontinued.
I work at 7-11 and i think that these support ur troops bands are just anohter way to make money(southland doesnt have our troops in there minds they just want ur money in there pocket) they dont cost $1.99. look at an invoice
thanks, Justin, but you really shouldn’t claim to work at 7-11 when you are obviously an English professor at one of America’s finer universities.
I’ve recently done some research on the production of these. The one time mold setup charge for these bracelets is $800. If you order in batches of 1,000: approx. $.80 each made in China, $1.10 made in the U.S. You can same about a dime each if you order 10,000.
Funny you mentioned that, Jeff. 7-11 is now selling Tsunami Relief bracelets for $2.99 and claims on the box that “100% of the profits — at least $2” will go towards the appropriate charities. Which seems reasonable enough. But it looks a little weird when the Tsunami bracelets are sold alongside the “Support Our Troops” bracelets, of which only $1 is donated to the U.S.O. Why is profiteering from one considered OK but not the other?
i think these bands are a great udea to show the troops we are with them all the time as my brother is currently in iraq.
Jeff,
I’m sure it is a big help to your brother and all of the other troops in Iraq to know that the Southland Corp. has found a way to exploit their efforts.
I do totally think that 7-11 is trying to make a buck, but it sorta sounds like to me you’re also hostile to the war in Iraq and American troops. Am I wrong? Please tell me that I am, those Joes need everyone in the entire nation behind them.
Adrie,
I’ve made no mention in this instance about any particular stance on the war or my feelings towards those who are only-following-orders. But since you asked, I’m very opposed to the war effort, though mostly sympathetic to the plight of the rank & file doing the best they can under difficult circumstances. Whether or not the entire nation is or isn’t behind them isn’t the only question — we’re not the only nation on earth and our troops aren’t the only people who have families.
While we are not the only nation on earth, we are one of the few with a true represenative government, and we are also one of the major, if not THE major world powers. Thus, it is our job to help those in need-mainly, the oppressed Iraqis and the Iraqi terrorists who fund and support other terrorists. Even if you don’t agree with the war in Iraq, you should still support those who are fighting for what they think is right. They don’t want your sympathy-they love what they’re doing, otherwise they wouldn’t be doing it. As far as the troops not being the only people with families, I would assume you are referring to the dead Iraqi’s families. I wouldn’t worry too much about the “greif” that you think the “evil” U.S. inflicted. I’m sure they are very happy-their sons and daughters, according to their religion, when straight to paradise, because they died in a jihad. Our troops are doing a world of good, both in Iraq, and in the forgotten war, Afganistan. For the first time, millions of oppressed people are getting a a heaping first helping of freedom, with more to come.
We are a nation on earth that has a government and freedom of speech and we take every advantage of using our freedom to run our representatives down, also our wonderful government…is slowly wearing down our supposedly God given freedoms because heaven forbid something I say or do offends someone’s delicate sensabilities. All in all we have a great country….as for being a major power its a grand thing since we are not MAJOR thinkers as America ranks lower then some 3 world countries in the education of youths. If someone wants to oppose the war that’s their right, I don’t believe they should blame the troops some of whom have no choice but to be where they are but again that is THEIR right. As for the troops being over there doing what they love….well kid you need to talk to some American soliders who have just returned from their tour of duty. I would say about 95% of them DO NOT love what they do they do it because they have to, for survival. And there is nothing wrong with feeling apathy and sympathy for anyone else because not all the people who are dying in Iraq are soliders of a “jihad.” Personally I think its bs that we are “giving freedom to millions of oppressed people” to give them the opportunities to come here and be educated and funded by our government for their future terrorist actions. Just remember violence begets violent and tyranny begets resentment.
Suport the troops YES, support the war, HELL NO.
We have to obligation to these people.
Our “leaders” are bankrupting the country for what?
I’m listening on the news and W aez we either have to cut back social security benefits or raise the taxes. Now I am a bit confused as I PAIN INTO this MANDATORY plan and will never draw out what I have put into it. What did the idiots do with my money?
Next day I’m listening to the news and the secretary of defense wants another 280 BILLION for the war.
I have an idea. Quit meddking in their business and save the $$ and pay me my social security!!
And close down gtmo and stop the renditions. Did we forget WHAT we stand for? Or at least what the PEOPLE of these united states belive in?
off my soapbox.
r.b.
Free country? Yes. We have elections, in which we are free to choose between candidates of either major party, both of whom will garner the plurality of votes in direct relation to how much campaign money they can get from the “hidden persuaders” who guarantee them the most sophisticted advertising, using every poven psychological button they can push, to convince you that the candidate embraces the finest American values. These values–reverence for the constitution and Bill of Rights, respect for self-determination, individual liberty,, the role of government in promoting the general welfare of its citizens–are all actively opposed and subverted by those corporations that finance the campaigns of the candidates. And the more a candidate is willing to sell out, and vote in the House or Senate for the corporations, the more likely he or she is to get elected and, by their bought-and-paid-for votes, contribute to the decline of traditional American values. The big coproporaions demonstrate no loyalty to this country, but rather are multinationals with interlocking boards of directors. Their loyalty is only to the profit-and-loss sheet, and if that means sacrificing American jobs, clean air, water, affordable health care, housing, old-age care, education, the Bill of Rights, and the lives of our citizens in trumped-up wars for profit and economic dominance of the few, then they will make those choices every time. Liz is right on-point when she says “we are not MAJOR thinkers as America ranks lower then some 3{rd} world countries in the education of youths.” Why is this so? Clearly, the major corps. would rather cut the the education budget and have those public dollars sent to private (corporate) pockets. But even more, they dont want an educated population that might become aware of how they are running things and ripping off our money and our heritage.
Do I suooirt the troops? You bet. The best way to do it is to bring them home, and stop shoving American and multinational corporate economics down the throats of foreign countries in the name of “democracy”. “Democracy” means you let the people decide, It is the people of Iraq we are fighting, just as it was the people of Viet-Nam that we opposed. And whether or not we agree with the choices of those people, we must let those choices stand, if “democracy” is to be anything other than a catch-phrase to increase the profits of the few.
G.C.