Yellow Bands

Koosh balls. Tomodatchi eggs. Razor Scooters. Beanie Babies. USA or Lakers flags on cars. And now...LIVESTRONG.

We've all seen them - on celebrities, in magazine ads, on my husband - the yellow rubber bracelets that say LIVESTRONG, part of the Lance Armstrong foundation's cancer research fundraiser.

I can understand that in our glossy society everything needs to be marketed, even a campaign to raise money for charity. Contrary to my good republican friend Scott J., I don't think raising money for charity is B.S.

BUT, you know things have gone too far when...

a) Your mom starts wearing a knock-off. Yep, this last weekend, I found her wearing a red rubber bracelet that says LIFE. It's the pro-life movement's answer to abortion. Why are we Christians always one step behind the cool people?

b) Chinese people are selling counterfeit LIVESTRONG bracelets on the streets of NYC. In any color you want!

c) MSNBC publishes a 2-page article outlining the history of the LIVESTRONG movement, including a list of guidelines for "how to know that your LIVESTRONG band is the real thing"

I know people who are wearing the bracelet to publicly stand by a loved one or friend who has been struck by cancer. But how many other bracelet wearers out there really care about cancer, anyways? Wouldn't it be more effective to stop a smoker next time s/he lights up, or to send a check directly to a cancer researcher?