Food for thought

I know this is way off topic in regards to "Club Calf Paradise" but I think it's timely and a topic that I find important and interesting. After all, it is my blog and that makes is pretty much my right to write about almost anything.

If you haven't noticed it seems to be Breast Cancer Awareness week...or month. It would be almost impossible to NOT notice that something is going on with breast cancer. There are little pink ribbons adorning just about everything you see...or eat for that matter. Everyone seems to have picked up the "cause" and is trying to raise money for something that has gotten out of control and that our insurance/health systems have failed to support as a whole. It is difficult to go into any venue and not find something relating to breast cancer. I even found a tool collection at the hardware store dedicated to breast cancer...ALL PINK! Every time I turn around I see someone walking down the street wearing breast cancer attire, shoes, socks, t-shirts, earings...you name it. Even bottled water has pink ribbons. Yesterday I popped a piece of pink gum in my mouth that had a pink ribbon painted on it. Yum-yum.

Don't misunderstand. I am a strong advocate of breast cancer awareness. I have had many friends that have suffered the pains of breast cancer and/or lost loved ones. I have even dealt with my own "lumps". I just wonder how all of the money that is being spent on items of support are being paid back to finding a cure? A fortune has to be paid by companies that desire to adorn their products with breast cancer awareness logos. How much of THAT money is being paid towards a cure? And then what about the millions of products that are sold in the name of breast cancer awareness...how much of that income is spent for breast cancer cures? I am just saying, we are so willing to buy anything with a pink ribbon on it without even knowing what portion of our money is actually going directly to find a cure.

I think that we don't spend enough time questioning things in our lives. We just take them for granted. That is probably why breast cancer has gotten so out of control. We just take it for granted...until WE get it or one of our loved ones is afflicted. For example, I question why all this breast cancer awareness stuff has to be in pink! You know, breast cancer isn't just about WOMEN. Men are part of the fun as well. I suppose pink, like orange at Nelson Cattle Company, is an attention-getter. I'll give them that.

So what about the ribbon? Really, a ribbon? I seems to me that if you want to get everyone's attention in regards to Breast Cancer that you would use something that would SERIOUSLY get some attention; perhaps something that was more related to the topic. Now I am not a marketing genious but I have noticed in the course of my lifetime that one...or two things...that seem to get everyone's attention are breasts. So don't you think it would be more noticeable and make more sense if all of those Breast Cancer awareness items had a breast on them rather than a cutesy pink ribbon? I know that would get MY husband's attention! Are we simply just afraid to walk down the street with a pink t-shirt with a giant breast on the front? That really wouldn't make sense if we are truly trying to make people more aware of breasts and the fight to save lives from breast cancer why are we afraid to be candid about it? I find that odd.

I do suppose it would not be as easy to pop a piece of gum into my mouth with the picture of a breast stamped on it. In turn that would probably cut into the revenue/sales of the candy industry and other retailers that are making a HUGE profit from selling/marketing Breast Cancer Awareness products in the name of a cure. Personally, I would like to send my donations directly to the scientists and labs that are actually doing the work to find a cure. Does anyone really know who that is? Hmmm...new marketing idea. A t-shirt with a lumpy breast embossed on the front the the name/number of the research institute to DIRECTLY send your donations for the cure.

For all of my "sistas" and "bros" out there that have been slapped in the face (pun intended) by this tragic disease I salute you and send you my hugs. There is no reason we shouldn't have a cure by now. So I guess in the meantime we all need to do whatever it takes to support finding a cure. Let's just not become sheep and always ask questions. It might make things go a little faster. In the meantime...I am going to keep eating my "boobie-gum"!