I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: You can’t dilute the brand.
Normally I say it about ribbons. You know, ribbons. Like the Red Ribbon campaign for AIDS. The Pink Ribbon campaign for breast cancer. Blue Ribbon campaign against net censorship, Green Ribbon campaign for responsibility in free speech. All those yellow ribbons (about which more later) and flag ribbons. And, God help me, the one I saw yesterday for autism.
This is called “diluting the brand”. The more of these things that exist, the more people ignore them and/or forget about what they signify. Visual overload means they fade into the background.
Now, the AP has done Jews a disservice with this headline (observed on Fox):
Army Reservist Refuseniks Avoid Courts-Martial
REFUSENIKS?
Refuseniks were Jews under the hegemony of the Soviet Union who were refused permission to emigrate. They didn’t have any choice in the matter and often suffered greatly for even applying to emigrate (loss of jobs, etc.)
These mutineers from the 343rd Quartermaster Company, on the other hand, chose to refuse lawful orders. They ought to be hit as hard as the UCMJ permits. Hard time at Leavenworth making gravel out of boulders along with dishonorable discharges seems about right.
And the AP ought to be smacked hard for diluting the “refusenik” brand. Or, if the headline was Fox’s responsibility, Fox ought to be smacked hard ditto.