PINK RIBBONS

2006-10-27T11:52:00.000-07:00

I hate pink, especially the pink ribbons. I really do. I don’t understand what they are for… support and solidarity, something like that, but I’m not getting that from a little twist of pink metal pretending to be a ribbon.

I think the pink ribbon marketing thing has totally turned me off to the idea of pink for October. I understand the idea of solidarity, but what I see is companies using pink to sell junk in the name of supporting women with breast cancer. Then I see the whole debate about pink merchandise in the press and it is taking attention away from important information about breast cancer and living with breast cancer that needs to get out there.

Instead of pink ribbons, I’d rather have national health insurance or any health insurance plan that insures SICK people. The way things are now, if you are young and healthy, you can get health insurance at a reasonable cost. If you are old or, God forbid, sick, forget it.

If you want to support people with cancer, forget the ribbon and lobby for national health care.

When someone without health insurance goes to a public hospital, and can’t pay for treatment, the hospital will write off the bill. One visit to the emergency room by an uninsured person can easily cost the same as one year of health insurance premiums, if not more.

I’m tripping over these products everywhere I go this month. At the pet store, a pink dog collar printed with pink ribbons sells for $9.99; the tag says 30 cents!
But wait, there’s more! At the tea shop, a pink tin of candy. At the supermarket, pink M&Ms. Other recent pink products: scarves, clothing, and nail polish.

Nail polish? All of this just encourages us to indulge in retail. This is not about raising money for cancer research; this is about companies selling you stuff you don’t need, just to make a profit. Don’t fall for it.

Tan's Blog

PINK RIBBONS