A rainbow is shining on campus — but it is not the result of spring showers.
The colors are the result of a growing popularity of silicone wristbands. The bands, which can be found almost anywhere, are used as fund-raisers for charities and to promote awareness about issues.
After being diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer in October 1996, Lance Armstrong started the “LIVESTRONG” campaign with financial help from Nike. He promoted awareness by selling yellow wristbands engraved with the slogan.
More than 40 million of those wristbands at $1 each have been sold, and the profit has funded cancer research.
Though there is only one officially licensed and authentic “LIVESTRONG” bracelet, other groups have designed their own. In fact, anyone can do so.
The Web site, www.customsiliconebracelets.com, allows a customer to pick the color and style — regular, marble, tie-died, swirl or stripes — of the bracelet and the message to be printed.
The minimum purchase of 500 bracelets calculates to $1.49 per wristband, while a purchase of 100,000 bracelets only costs the customer 27 cents for each.
The University soccer team adopted a purple wristband with the words, “Strength,” “Hope” and “Courage” on them to honor former LSU soccer goalkeeper Robyn DesOrmeaux. She was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare form of malignant cancer in November 2004.
The Children’s Miracle Network designed a yellow-and-red bracelet. Each is sold for 25 cents and helps fund 170 children’s hospitals across the country.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon adopted the network as its philanthropy this year, and members of the fraternity are selling the wristbands to help raise money for the cause.
A wristband representing breast cancer has also become popular. Pink with the slogan, “HOPE, FAITH & LOVE,” on it, a portion of each bracelet sale is donated to cancer organizations.
Nike even started a novelty line of Baller ID Bands — targeted at sports fanatics — with words like “TEAM,” “PLAYER” or “RESPECT” on them.
Thousands of wristbands are sold on eBay as well.
But the wristbands span beyond charity.
Some can be found with political slogans like “I DID NOT VOTE 4 BUSH” or “GEORGE W. BUSH THE PRESIDENT 2004.”
Other slogans range from “SUPPORT OUR TROOPS,” honoring U.S. soldiers serving overseas, to “CHOOSE LIFE,” which campaigns against abortions.
The wristbands’ popularity on campus has sparked debate.
Daniel Mestayer, a French and linguistics junior, said he thinks most people on campus only wear the bracelets for the look.
“Not everyone knows what they stand for anymore,” Mestayer said.
Jared Mixson, a business administration sophomore, created a group on the Web site, thefacebook.com, called “Livestrong Bracelets are For Tools.”
Mixson said he started the group to express his disgust at people wearing the bracelets not for the original cause, but solely for fashion.
“The cause behind the ‘LIVESTRONG’ bracelets was and still is a good cause. However, it has become a fad,” Mixson said. “Lance is still the man though.”
But Arvind Jain, a political science sophomore, said the rainbow of wristbands is more than an “annoying fad.”
“At least it’s something that represents a good cause,” Jain said.
Another thefacebook.com group is titled “I Hate People Who Smoke Cigs That Wear Live Strong Bracelets.”
Members say they believe wearing a “LIVESTRONG” bracelet while smoking at the same time is hypocritical.
Jain, a smoker, said he disagrees with what the group believes.
“Smoking is an addiction which you choose to do. We smokers know cancer is a possibility,” Jain said. “As long as you’re giving money to a good purpose, it shouldn’t be that big of a deal.”
Mestayer also disagrees with the group.
“You can still be healthy and smoke,” Mestayer said. “And at least you’re supporting that cause by wearing the bracelet.”
Some students said they think people are worrying too much about the wristbands.
Colby Glaser, a biological sciences freshman, said he thinks all the debate is “stupid.”
“It’s just the fad of the time,” Glaser said. “It’ll be gone in the next year.”
Cody Wells, an environmental engineering sophomore, said he also thinks things are being taken too seriously.
“The media makes a too big of a deal out of everything,” he said.
But, Wells said he does think it is wrong for people to make profits at the expense of good causes by selling the knockoff bracelets.
Mestayer agreed and said the debate is more important than some people realize.
“It is a big deal if the money isn’t going to what it’s meant for,” Mestayer said. “So if [the profit] is going into someone’s pocket then yes, it’s a big deal.”