The Yellow Ribbon Project

Tie a yellow ribbon 'round the old oak tree
It's been three long years, do you still want me
If I don't see a ribbon round the old oak tree
I'll stay on the bus, forget about us
Put the blame on me
If I don't see a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree

I'm not really an activist, but I personally feel that Singapore has changed, and with their new initiative in getting ex-convicts re-accepted into the society, (read about it in www.yellowribbon.org.sg) it is really a step forward. I imagine a society where everyone gets a fair chance to make a decent living for themselves, one where all can walk on the streets without fear of discrimination. Everyone makes mistakes; does it make us any more righteous to ostracize the ones who seem to make the bigger mistakes, and this is perhaps due to the situation that they found themselves in; one which bears no fault of their own. If only everyone can look beyond the superficiality of the situation and...understand.

Some interesting history about the origin of the well-loved yellow ribbon song :

Folklore has it that the inspiration for the 1973 song came from a true incident that occurred on a bus bound for Miami, Florida. It seems that one of the passengers had just been released from prison and he was bound for home. He had written his wife and let her know he still loved her and wanted to be with her. He asked her to tie a yellow ribbon around the lone oak tree in the Town Square of White Oak, Georgia, if she still had feelings for him and wanted him to be with her. Everyone in the bus asked the Driver to slow down as they approached, there it was!
The Driver pulled over and phoned the wire services to share the story. It quickly spread throughout the country. Songwriters Irwin Levine and L. Russell Brown wrote the ballad from the news story.
“Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree” was released in February 1973. It was the number one hit by April 1973.
From http://www.americanfamilytraditions.com/yellow_ribbon.htm

I will proudly wear the yellow ribbon on my lapel this month, to show that I understand... or, at least I try to, somehow...