To read the tribute to SFC Marcus Muralles, please click here
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Wristband Overload
It's all Lance Armstrong's fault. He started it with his LiveStrong bracelets. And, in the past year, everyone's been caught up into the act. Spending less than 5 minutes on the internet (I timed myself) I found the following wristbands:
These wristbands have become the new ribbons. Do you even remember how the ribbon thing got started? It was back in the early 90s, when performers began wearing them at awards ceremonies. It became all the rage, and soon there was a ribbon campaign for every cause. Rush even made a point of wearing a bunch of ribbons during one of his tv shows, to show his solidarity with everything. (In the spirit of full disclosure, I have several ribbons on the back of my van- all in support of the US and our troops.)
Do the ribbons work? Do they really alert people to specific causes? I think they did, back when there were only a few. Everyone knows that the red one is AIDS awareness, and the pink one is breast cancer research. The yellow ribbon goes back to that Tony Orlando and Dawn song. (I have issues with a song about a guy coming home from prison being connected with our soldiers,but the yellow ribbon has come to mean a longing for your loved one to return. And no one asked me). But the rest of the rainbow? Haven't a clue.
Will the wristbands work? Well, they will do one thing (short term) that the ribbons did not. When you buy a band (except the ones you make for yourself), part of the proceeds go to the charity/cause. So, you're actively giving them money. And, they are the "In" thing right now, so a bunch of charities will benefit from their sale. But... will they spread awareness? Lance's did. I'm not sure if the rest will be so lucky.
I would really love to have some of these wristbands. And I'd wear them. But... you can't wear 'em all at the same time. I mean... you'd get to the point where you wouldn't be able to bend your arm.
UPDATE:
Terry pointed out (in the comments) that I missed one. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has their Hope Band. And that made me think of the National Kidney Foundation. I looked - they don't have a band. What's up with that?
- tobacco-free kids (red)
- AIDS/Lifecycle (orange)
- malpractice reform (red)
- ProLife (royalblue)
- Cardinal Charities (red)
- Make Poverty History (white)
- Operation Homefront (red)
- Muscular Dystrophy (green)
- Cystic Fibrosis Society (blue)
- Life Without Lupus (orange)
- CS Mott Children's Hospital (blue)
- Breast Cancer Research (pink)
- USO (green)
- Think Autism (blue)
- Lupus (purple)
- My Soldier (red)
- Bush and Kerry campaigns (red or blue)
- Red States (red- duh)
- Blue States (blue- geez)
- I did not vote for Bush (black)
These wristbands have become the new ribbons. Do you even remember how the ribbon thing got started? It was back in the early 90s, when performers began wearing them at awards ceremonies. It became all the rage, and soon there was a ribbon campaign for every cause. Rush even made a point of wearing a bunch of ribbons during one of his tv shows, to show his solidarity with everything. (In the spirit of full disclosure, I have several ribbons on the back of my van- all in support of the US and our troops.)
Do the ribbons work? Do they really alert people to specific causes? I think they did, back when there were only a few. Everyone knows that the red one is AIDS awareness, and the pink one is breast cancer research. The yellow ribbon goes back to that Tony Orlando and Dawn song. (I have issues with a song about a guy coming home from prison being connected with our soldiers,but the yellow ribbon has come to mean a longing for your loved one to return. And no one asked me). But the rest of the rainbow? Haven't a clue.
Will the wristbands work? Well, they will do one thing (short term) that the ribbons did not. When you buy a band (except the ones you make for yourself), part of the proceeds go to the charity/cause. So, you're actively giving them money. And, they are the "In" thing right now, so a bunch of charities will benefit from their sale. But... will they spread awareness? Lance's did. I'm not sure if the rest will be so lucky.
I would really love to have some of these wristbands. And I'd wear them. But... you can't wear 'em all at the same time. I mean... you'd get to the point where you wouldn't be able to bend your arm.
UPDATE:
Terry pointed out (in the comments) that I missed one. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has their Hope Band. And that made me think of the National Kidney Foundation. I looked - they don't have a band. What's up with that?
