Blue ribbons -- symbols of sympathy for Poles

December 31, 1981

It's blue ribbons instead of yellow this time. Workers at Cessna Aircraft Company here are tying blue ribbons around their arms to show the sadness they feel about martial law in Poland -- and the custom is spreading.

One employee began wearing a blue ribbon around his arm after the Polish government cracked down, and the practice was quickly picked up by fellow employees. Rick Rogers said he got the idea from the yellow ribbons worn to show support for the American hostages in Iran and the green ribbons worn for murdered children in Atlanta.

Friends at Beech Aircraft Corporation and Boeing Military Airplane Company soon began to follow suit, and now it's spread to Wichita schools.