Dear Dr. Gridlock:
As a daily user of the Capitol South Station on the Blue and Orange lines, I am appalled at how dirty the outside escalators are. They are filthy, constantly breaking down and have lights burned out. Metro used to clean these, but they have stopped since last summer. Did they stop cleaning them to save money?
Davin Peterson
Woodbridge
Many readers ask whether budget cuts have affected Metro's ability to clean its rail cars and station areas. Metro says no, and that it has a full complement of custodians who regularly clean cars and station areas.
Every three months, Metro samples 400 users about service and cleanliness and generally gets a grade of B, according to Steven Taubenkibel, a Metro spokesman.
"If riders have concerns on cleanliness issues, we encourage them to call us at 202-637-1328," Taubenkibel said.
Yellow Ribbon Debate
In the Sept. 19 column, I noted that motorists seemed to have yellow decals in the shape of ribbons on the back of their vehicles. The decals said, "Support Our Troops." I asked where they could be obtained.
In response, readers suggested that these magnets (not decals) could be purchased at Hallmark or Total Crafts stores, or by logging on to www.magnetamerica.com, among others.
Reader Chris Bennett of Springfield wrote: "I hope your column does not encourage people to get these magnets.
"If you put one on your trunk, no troop will see it. No life will be saved. If someone does or does not have a magnet on their car, is the war closer to being won or lost?
"What purpose does empty, more-patriotic-than-thou symbolism serve?"
Dr. Gridlock responded: "I think you have to be stationed abroad to appreciate the meaning of a care package . . . or 'Support Our Troops' magnets, which our soldiers can see while on home leave. They are serving for you, Mr. Bennett. You can salute them, or not."
Among those commenting:
Dear Dr. Gridlock:
As one who spent 37-plus years on active duty in uniform (some 20 years of that time stationed abroad) and who participated (albeit insignificantly) in two wars, I would like to respond to your (perhaps unintended) somewhat snide retort to the letter from Chris Bennett.
As I read it, his letter had nothing to do with saluting or not saluting the troops, or with letters and care packages. It did address what I and some of my military friends consider to be a totally jingoistic exercise in feel-goodism, designed to call attention to the driver/owner of the vehicle involved.
The ribbons basically say, "Look at me, I'm doing my part" -- without doing anything at all. As you say, it's possible that some soldiers will see them and be encouraged, but I believe most will see them for what they are: more-patriotic-than-thou symbolism (Mr. Bennett's words).
While there undoubtedly are some -- especially family members of those deployed -- who sincerely display such symbols as a show of support and encouragement, I would argue that many, if not most, do so (perhaps subconsciously) to assuage underlying feelings of guilt, inadequacy, insecurity or aggression, or some combination thereof.
