Re: Please, No Ribbons

Dear All,
I have to admit that agree with Kelly's sentiments.  I guess I can see that 
ribbons may seem sort of like a kitschy or commercial response in light of the 
enormity of the loss we face.  But they can serve the function of being a kind 
of marker of our solidarity and compassion (literally, our "suffering along 
with") our fellows. I'm not a rabbi--nor well-versed in Jewish practices--but 
the ribbon-wearing practice puts me in mind of the Jewish funereal practice of 
cutting a piece of clothing (e.g. a cut necktie) in order to serve as a public 
marker of one's loss (my apologies if I'm not stating the practice accurately). 
 By wearing a piece of cut clothing one gives a public sign that one does not 
feel whole--that the loss has cut into one's being.  It is a way to make grief 
public--to share the loss.  My general point is that, sure, ribbons can be so 
overused that we no longer know what they stand for--but they CAN serve as a 
meaningful way to bring our personal sense of loss and compassi
   on out into the public

I have enjoyed reading the suggestions for active responses as ways to create a 
sense of meaning in this disrupted world.  Tony Washington, the Coordinator of 
the Hallstars program here, organized a candle-light vigil on Tuesday night and 
a shuttle to the local blood-drive on Wednesday.  On Friday our campus will 
have a campus-wide open forum on "When Tragedy Hits Home--Dealing with a 
National Tragedy," which will feature panelists from Psychology, Economics, 
Political Science, Philosophy, History, and Education.

--Jeff Prudhomme
Director of the Institute for Service-Learning
Frostburg State University

>Everyone,
>
>First,  I must say that I have been a silent member on the SL ListServ for
>several years and I must say it has been comforting to read others thoughts
>about the tragic events and the impact on the idea of service.  However,
>after reading the "Please No Ribbons" message I felt a need to respond.
>
>Thanks for your alternative input Rachel, but quite frankly I think that
>although ribbons may be "trivial" to you the ribbon itself is not the point,
>the show of solidarity is!  Students on my campus are looking to somehow
>help out and show that they have been touched by these tragic events and
>feel the call to serve their beloved community.  The monies raised through
>the sale of ribbons can be used to aid those in the rescue effort as well as
>others that have been affected, and I do not see this as trivial.
>
>These tragic events are a Call To Action! This is not a time to bash each
>other's efforts to help.  Now is the time to come together and support our
>beloved community.
>
>Peace,
>
>Kelly Thomas
>Coordinator
>Clearinghouse for Volunteers
>University of Rhode Island
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: service-learning-owner@csf.colorado.edu
>[mailto:service-learning-owner@csf.colorado.edu]On Behalf Of
>Rigolinr@aol.com
>Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2001 8:36 AM
>To: service-learning@csf.colorado.edu
>Subject: Please, No Ribbons
>
>
>Everyone,
>Here at the State University of New York at New Paltz, about 90 min. from
>the World Trade Center, our campus community and our local community have
>been personally devestated.
>While I know we are all searching for "something to say or do," I implore
>instructors not to reach for the usual banality. Symbolic ribbons (there are
>now so many we don't even know WHAT COLOR TO USE) are a trivial
>commercialization of a unspeakable, devestating event. Please, don't.
>Rachel Rigolino
>SUNY at New Paltz
>rigolinr@newpaltz.edu
>
>