Letters to the Editor

Meaning of the phrase “Support our Troops” ambiguous, open to interpretation of campus community

I saw a flyer on campus this morning. It had three photos on it, all of which appeared to have been taken in Iraq.

One photo was of a smiling female soldier, surrounded by children. One was a group of about six soldiers in full combat gear, patrolling.

The last was of a smiling Iraqi woman flashing a peace sign, showing ink on her index finger. The idea was, I suppose, that she had just voted.

The top of the flyer read: “We support our troops!” At the bottom, “Fresno State Students Celebrate Freedom!”

There were dozens of fliers posted there so I took one and looked at it periodically throughout the day. I kept wondering what it was intended to do. Support our troops how, exactly?

What freedom or whose freedom was being celebrated and in what way?

I wrestled with the imagery and the message of this flier all day, first reacting with anger because of what I perceived to be image propaganda, then with sadness as I considered that any of the people in the photos — including the children — might be dead now.

I kept looking for a call to action or a specific political position. Twelve hours later, I still wonder what it is for.

Ultimately, I have to conclude that the most productive thing for me to do is to contact The Collegian and invite them to sponsor this question through an open forum.

So the question I put before CSU students is: What does the phrase “Support our Troops” mean to you? I look forward to a lively, respectful dialogue.

Kimberly Lenz
Graduate Student, Communicative Disorders and Deaf Studies

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