Official Start of the Purple and Yellow Ribbon Campaign

Today starts the official campaign of the Iraq Purple and Yellow Ribbon Campaign. The Ribbons symbolize support for the Iraqi people to be tied with a yellow ribbon for the troops: American, international and the Iraqi military who are making a positive difference. The purple finger of freedom combined with the yellow is a great way to show the Iraqi people our support.

Tie it to your blog the tree in front your home workspace or your car. Show that you care. Thanks to Isaiah from the blog “isaiah knows nothing” http://isaiahknows.blogspot.com/ and Trev Diesel from the blog "the sound of diesel musing" http://trevdiesel.blogspot.com/ for their support and design of the Purple and Yellow ribbon campaign! In the background is a picture I took in Iraq of a man and his mungas on a mountain road (munga is Sorani, Kurdish for cow), thanks Isaiah and Trev for the custom design, it is beautiful!

The push for purple for the Iraqis, representing freedom is not new. There have been other campaigns in short spurts supporting the movement. We need continuous long term support and outreach. Therefore, I support the Purple and Yellow Ribbon campaign. I call on bloggers, media and people across the globe to use these colors to show support to Iraq and to use virtual “Purple and Yellow Ribbon” jpeg as a symbol on the internet and other places.

I have actual 5’ yellow and purple ribbons to put together today, inshallah (Martha Stewart, I am not!) and will take picture upon completion, inshallah.

Here are some other links on the Purple Symbol of Freedom including my past posts:

Iraqi Purple Pearl Ribbon Movement
http://pearlsofiraq.blogspot.com/2006/05/iraqi-purple-pearl-ribbon-movement.html

Baghdad's Economy and the Purple Zone
http://pearlsofiraq.blogspot.com/2006/05/baghdads-economy-and-purple-zone.html

Raise A Purple Finger For Freedom
http://www.purplefingerforfreedom.org/index.html

Give Terrorism the Finger
http://www.thepurplefinger.org/

United for Peace has a white Ribbon Campaign which is fine, white for peace but it does not truly get to the essence of the Iraqi people and neglects the issue of terrorism and the goal of freedom. We do not wish war, I am a pacifist and a peace builder in Iraq, but the bombs and attacks the past two years have been directed at the Iraqi people, not as much at the military; its is a cowardly conflict. In addition, the call for pulling out of Iraq right now would cause additional chaos and does not address the reconstruction effort being conducted right now. Who will take over? Are the white ribbon supporters willing to physically go into Iraq with me and others and help rebuild Iraq once the troops leave? Are they willing to turn over their salaries and wages, sweat and physical bodies to rebuild the electric, schools and hospitals? So they can add a white ribbon to the purple and yellow.

In addition, I started a 2nd blog (yikes), Iraq Purple and Yellow Ribbon Campaign and looking for team members to contribute as well as photos of Purple and Yellow Ribbons.
http://iraqpurpleribboncampaign.blogspot.com/