I used to be annoyed by the SUVs I see driving all over town. I resented the gas guzzling. I thought it was unfair that an SUV takes a space-and-a-half in every parking lot. I felt like I had to worry about whether, from way up there, the SUV driver could safely see me, way down here (in my Honda Civic --hybrid, of course). And I worried a bit that with SUVs being notoriously less able to cope in snow storms and high winds that some bad weather day, I'd find myself caught up in accident that didn't have to happen. But I've put all this aside. How?
I've re-directed my disgust for all run-of-the-mill SUVs toward 2 specific models on the road:
They are Hummer H2 and the Toyota FJ Cruiser. The reason is that these vehicles raise all of the above concerns, plus they are obviously designed to evoke an image of military transport.
Granted, Jeeps, which are styled after military mini-trucks, have long been popular outside war zones. But they haven not generally been tricked out with burled wood dash boards, cruise control and seat warmers. A loaded up H2 would cost around $65 thousand. The FJ Cruiser seems to be far more affordable, but still has high luxury features.
The bright yellow H2 I saw yesterday was driven in the Boulder, Colorado suburbs by a sole driver, driving with her fingers extended as if she'd just left her manicurist. Big sunglasses made her look sort of Hollywood; owning a lane-and-a-half made her seem very selfish. So here we have high military fashion.
When you own luxury consumer goods, you intend to make a statement about your, well, ability to pay for them. In this case, I think, these particular luxury goods say something about how their owners' (and really how this whole country's) approach to supporting the troops. Let's put on a show of support, especially if it feels good. But hey, no real sacrifices.
Similarly, President Bush has stated that he's foresworn playing golf just now because it would look bad to the mothers of soldiers. That's his sacrifice. Seems like a statement of support. Except that really, he's just got a knee injury that's irritated by golf-playing. Not even this piddling sacrifice is real.
And I read very little last week about the Green Beret in Iraq who tried to take a shower at his base last week in a KBR-built building where the pipes had not be properly grounded. He was electrocuted, died. We're putting on military chic and it's not safe for these soldiers to take a shower? I'd be impressed if President Bush pledged not to take a shower until every shower facility in Iraq was safe for the soldiers to use without getting electrocuted. See if that "gets noticed."
