Where Are The Ribbons?

Throughout my life, there have been moments that uniquely affirmed my pride in being an American.  Some were instances of extraordinary achievement, like Neal Armstrong’s one small step, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the US Men’s Hockey gold medal at the 1980 Winter Olympics. Others, like 9/11 and the Iran hostage crisis, showed our determination in the face of evil.  All were marked by symbols – iconic photos.  Headlines. The flag.

Several were momentous – happening seemingly all at once - while others necessitated a durable demonstration of our resolve.  Of the latter, the taking of the American Embassy in Tehran by an Iranian mob, and with it 52 American hostages, was the first to stay with me.  That day and across the 444 that followed, right up until the day of their liberation, we were inundated with reminders - on tv, in newspapers and at school.  But what made the biggest impression on me were the ribbons.

Everywhere I looked, I saw them.  On trees and telephone poles.  On classroom doors, behind the counters at stores and restaurants, at the Post Office. 
They were on the front page of every newspaper – every day.  No holiday passed without a poignant reminder and no major address by the President or other political figures, irrespective of party, were without tribute.  The names and faces have blurred over the years, but throughout that period they were never far from our thoughts and hearts.

So it was with the American hostages taken in Lebanon.  Terry Anderson, David Dodge, Terry Waite, among too many others.  And once more the ribbons.  Americans never forgot.  America never wavered.  We affirmed our commitment to freedom – their freedom and ours.  Americans in captivity, no matter where, are an inextricable part of who and what we are as a nation and a people.  And the ribbons – the ribbons have been an ever-present reminder of our responsibility to them and to each other, an expression of our commitment to their liberation and safe return home.

Not every instance had a happy ending, but our solidarity has been a cornerstone of my pride in this country.

There are Americans in captivity today.  Wall St. Journal reporter, Evan Gershkovich, is imprisoned in Russia, but I see his face in each daily edition.  His colleagues, along with the publisher and editors of the WSJ won’t let us forget him – and in that too I take pride. 

America doesn’t forget.  Americans don’t.  So I’ve been puzzled these past eight months by the near total absence of so much as a mention of Americans currently held hostage by Hamas – taken amidst the slaughter and carnage of October 7.  There are eight of them, through three are already dead.  Americans in the hands of ruthless terrorists, no doubt making the continuing existence of those who remain alive - a nightmare.  Eight.  And yet I challenge you to name them.  Without making a special effort you’ll likely be hard pressed to even find their names.  Why?  Because America isn’t talking about them.  The President and his administration seem to have subordinated our consciousness of them to considerations of “greater” importance.  There is rarely even a reference in the media, and nothing on the mastheads of our newspapers.  There are no ribbons.

Well – not exactly none.  Some American Jews and a small number of others are wearing ribbons, dog-tags or bracelets – reminders to us and to the few who may ask, that these Americans remain in the hands of rapists and butchers.  They’re there, along with 112 or so others, citizens of at least 17 countries.  But we are few – far too few.  Too few to provide a meaningful reminder for our fellow Americans.  It is apparently not sufficiently important to those with power and influence to make us see – and remember.

The Wall St. Journal makes sure we remember Evan, while Amazon has made a point of helping us to forget Alexander Trupanov – an employee of its Israeli subsidiary, Annapurna Labs, kidnapped on October 7 as terrorists murdered his father.  It’s about solidarity – and solidarity isn’t something you’re supposed to have to look for.  Such efforts draw us to them, they surround us and hold us in their embrace as we in turn hold those in captivity in ours.

Soviet Jewish dissident Natan (Anatoly) Sharansky languished for 9 years in the gulags of the USSR – cut off and isolated from both family and the wider Jewish world.  In his extraordinary memoir, Never Alone, he describes how his KGB tormenters kept telling him, ‘You’re forgotten, you’re abandoned, you’re alone, give up!’ But, having learned of the worldwide effort to secure his freedom, he responded, ‘I won’t give up.’ And he explains why: ‘Because I knew I was never alone.’”  Those solidarity efforts made it possible for him to endure until his eventual release.

The people of Israel have demonstrated unstinting solidarity with the hostages in Gaza – all of them.  Jews, Moslems and Christians.  Israelis of course, but also those of at least 16 other nationalities, including the eight Americans.  Come to Israel and you’ll see their faces, you’ll hear their names, and you’ll notice the ribbons – everywhere.

So my fellow Americans, where are our ribbons?

Postscript – Earlier today, Israel announced the successful rescue of four of the hostages – alive and in fairly good condition.  The nation welcomed home: Noa Argamani (26), Almog Meir Jan (21), Andrey Kozlov (27), and Shlomi Ziv (40).  Special Forces Senior Inspector, Arnon Zamura z’l – was killed in the course of the rescue. Am Yisrael Chai! !עם ישראל חי