Live Strong

[musical_il]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 1:54pm

Do you have one? I bought one when I was in NY, because you can't get them in Israel... Updated On: 1/27/05 at 01:54 PM

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 2:57pm

I despise Livestrong bracelets. Absolutely despise them. They are for a good cause, if you buy them from the right people - not the streets of NYC, not from Ebay, etc. It is great that people are contributing to an excellent cause like that, but you don't need to wear a bracelet on your wrist to show your contribution to a cancer fund. It's tacky, and they have sadly become a trendy item that people think makes them look "cool." It's sad that people have the mindset of "everyone has this yellow rubber band around their wrists, I should fit in too!" I'm still shocked that people are wearing them - they're out. It's just terrible that it took a trendy bracelet to get people to donate to a good cause. Now they even sell knock-off's at crap stores that say "Best Friends" instead of Livestrong - it's just tacky.

[Marquise]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 2:58pm

i so agree with you on that munkustrap....

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 2:59pm

Part of the problem, besides the obvious social one, is that they're ugly as sin.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 3:03pm

uh - what are we talking about?

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 3:03pm

redhot, you're so charmingly clueless sometimes. You'd hate them too, trust me.

[Marquise]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 3:04pm

those silly yellow rubber bracelets people are running around with . . .

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 3:06pm

Livestrong bracelets and how pathetic some people are.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 3:31pm

Your comments, munkustrap, greatly offend me.
Yes, some people wear them for the wrong reasons, because they think they are cool. However, to many people, it shows a unification against a deadly foe. One of my best friends, from when we were both two we had been best friends, fought cancer from the time he was ten until a couple years ago, at fourteen, when he died after valiantly fighting the disease. The bracelet has shown a resurgence in cancer awareness and brought it more to public attention. And for people who are fighting the disease, or helping others to get through the struggle, to see others wearing them reminds them that they are not alone. There is a community of people fighting and struggling for people affected by cancer.
Some people wear them for the wrong reasons, sure, but these bracelets that are "ugly as sin" give many people hope and stength.

Updated On: 1/27/05 at 03:31 PM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 3:34pm

Priest, I'm sorry for your loss. I've lost people to cancer too, including my dad less than two years ago. However, cancer in the general sense has plenty of awareness. These bracelets are great for raising money - that's all (not that that's a bad thing!). If you want to talk about specific cancers that need more attention, that's another story, and these bracelets do nothing to help that problem.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 3:36pm

I respectfully disagree, Rath.
My mother's boyfriend of three years, who is battling cancer, says it fills him with joy to see people wearing the bracelets as it lets him know that he/we is/are not alone in the struggle.

Updated On: 1/27/05 at 03:36 PM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 3:39pm

I'm glad it helps him - but before these bracelets were all the rage, didn't he attend support groups either online or in person? He's far from alone, and there are many other ways to realize that than a fundraising effort that's turned into a fashion trend. I'm glad for the money it's raised, but I abhor what it's turned into.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 3:42pm

But what it has turned into does not lessen the original intent.
To raise awareness and funds and give a sense of hope.

And, yes, he attends support groups, but it is different. Seeing the bracelets gives a sense of a greater community. If that makes sense, which I'm not sure it does.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 3:43pm

It does make sense - sadly, though, for many many people those yellow bracelets don't mean what they should. They're just what everyone is wearing - like belly rings or something.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 3:45pm

But even if only one in five are wearing it with pure intent, I would just gladly ignore the other four.

Updated On: 1/27/05 at 03:45 PM

[saddle shoe side kick]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 4:25pm

I bought my LiveStrong bracelet right off the website for them because many people in my family have had cancer and some have died from it. My mom has breast cancer for the second time right now and I have a pink bracelet from Target, which is even more important to me. I was outraged to find out that my school would be selling these but keeping the profit. They sold them for 3 dollars instead of one. 5 dollars to staff. Seeing them on Ebay for a lot hurts too.

I don't like that some people wear the bracelets because everyone else is doing it. They really mean something that is close to my heart. They aren't a fashion symbol/statement. It's not about who has the most bracelets in the most colors. It's about helping people to live.

StickToPriest, I'm terribly sorry for your loss.

Updated On: 1/27/05 at 04:25 PM

Posted: 1/27/05 at 4:34pm

I dont see what the big deal is, its pretty often that there is some incentive for raising money for a cause, this was just a particularly successful one. for the aids walk theres always the pin for participating. if those got really popular I imagine most would be happy. people made knock-offs, those people are definitely scum. and wearing it for the wrong reasons kinda sucks but are you really going to walk up to everyone and ask them why theyre wearing it?

[BEKA531]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 4:45pm

i have one. i got mine over the summer and was one of the first people i know who had one. my friend, who's father has cancer, introduced me to them and i thought it was an amazing idea to spread some much needed cancer awareness. i bought mine directly from lance's website.

i hate that they've turned into a fashion statement and the true idea behind it has been lost.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 4:51pm

That's all I'm saying - I never disputed the cause. You know what I meant - I was never degrading to those who actually mean well by them or suffer from cancer. I, as almost everyone else in the world, also know people who have passed from cancer - but that fact doesn't take away from my point that many people are wearing it for the wrong reasons and THAT'S what I'm talking about. There's nothing for you to be offended about.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 4:54pm

"I despise Livestrong bracelets."
"I'm still shocked that people are wearing them - they're out."

Then why are you "shocked" that people would still wear them?
Should they stop showing their support and cease wearing them because a few people wear them for the wrong reasons?

[Joshua488]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 4:58pm

Yeah, I'm extremely offended too. I wear mine to in remembrance of my father, my aunt, and my grandparents who all died of cancer. People that wear them strictly for their appearance upset me. But people, like myself, that actually bought them so the money would go to cancer research like them. I have a strong connection with mine because everytime I look at it, I am reminded of what I have lost to cancer and I am reminded to never smoke or do anything to cause cancer and to always do my part in finding a cure. I like them.

I think Lance Armstrong knew that they would become a trendy item, but it's not a problem because if they are bought legitimately, the money goes to a good cause anyway. It just pisses me off when I see someone with a LiveSTRONG bracelet holding a cigarette. I just want to kick them in the face.

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 4:59pm

You're taking what I said and automatically making it against me - that's now how I meant them. You still know what I mean - there's no point arguing about words when I have clearly said what my intentions were. I was talking about those that wear them for the wrong reasons.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 5:03pm

Well, I agree with your annoyance of people who wear them for the wrong reasons. But, even you have to admit, your first post made it seem as if you were vehemently opposed to anyone wearing them.

If I misunderstood the intent, I apologize.

Updated On: 1/27/05 at 05:03 PM

[BEKA531]

Posted: 1/27/05 at 5:04pm

It just pisses me off when I see someone with a LiveSTRONG bracelet holding a cigarette. I just want to kick them in the face.

AMEN TO THAT.

Posted: 1/27/05 at 5:04pm

I'm curious what the judgement that so many people are wearing them for the wrong reasons is based on?