It started out, back in the 80's, with those innocuous little red ribbons that the Hollywood types all wore to show that they cared about their brethren that had caught AIDS. That was fine. A bit trite, but fine. Then came the gulf war, and, in an apparent tribute to Tony Orlando (and Dawn), far too many people started "tying yellow ribbons round (sic) the old, oak tree. Then came pink for breast cancer, blue for animal abuse, black for POWs/MIAs. When these ribbons were tiny and on people's chests, it was one thing. But the current dirge of enormous magnetic automobile ribbons (or MARs) is completely out of control! You can help in two ways:

As you can see, a nice woodgrain ribbon serves the purpose of confusing other ribbon displayers, which will hopefully cause them to question their own practice, and desist immediately.

If you really want to support our troops, then send them one of the many items that they need.

 

Step-by-step instructions on how to reribbon a MAR

Preparation: Gather a MAR that needs to be reribboned, a knife, a disposable piece of cardboard, and your choice of contact paper, available from your local hardware or department store.

Step 1: Remove and discard backing from contact paper and place on table, sticky side up.

Step 2: Lay magnet face down onto sticky-side of contact paper.

Step 3: Turn over and rub contact paper onto magnet face thoroughly.

Step 4: Place magnet with contact paper on cardboard, face down, and trace magnet shape with a sharp knife, such as an X-ACTO®.

Step 5: Take your newly completed reribboned magnet and search for a MAR in the wild. Be sure to exchange your reribboned magnet for a similar MAR. It wouldn't do to replace an "I'm a Patriot, red-white-and-blue" ribbon with a reribbon that was "Pink, Breast Cancer Awareness" underneath, would it?

This campaign is not destructive, as the contact paper peels right off if the owner of the reribboned MAR doesn't see the light. This society needs more humor, and less ribbons.

Pranksters, join us! Hackers, you're invited! Cacophonists, we need you!

Don't be temped to make your repurposed ribbon mean something clever, like "This teal herringbone ribbon is for Mothers Against Drunk Kiters", or some such. That will just add to the prolifieration of MARs. All reribboned ribbons must stand for nothing at all.

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Please send in pictures and comments on your deribbon successes to that we can post them on this site.

Pictures, Complements and Complaints to: scafativ@reribboned.org