Pink Scam

Pink here, pink there, pink everywhere.  Pink ribbons.  Pink jerseys.  Pink shoes.  Pink gloves.  Pink hats.  Pink logos on the field.  Pink ribbons on the announcers.  Pink ribbons on the football.  Pink, pink, pink.

In October, the NFL wraps itself in pink and doubles down on sales promotions for the pink merchandise.

And when you buy the exorbitantly-priced pink NFL merchandise, the NFL will donate 5% of the proceeds (profits) to “breast cancer awareness”.

Five percent.

Breast cancer touches essentially every family in America.  Your mother, your sister, your aunt, your cousin, your niece, your grandmother – a co-worker, a colleague, an acquaintance - odds are extremely strong that someone you know has battled breast cancer.

Breast cancer does not need “more awareness”.

Breast cancer needs a CURE.

A cure will come through research, which costs money.

The NFL, and – as my friend John Roach calls it, “the charity industry” – should take a long, hard look at itself, and keep looking until it sees the greed that so many others do.

A cash contribution to breast cancer research (research, not awareness) would be fine.  Or a link where NFL fans can contribute directly. 

Instead of spending a hundred bucks for a pink Rogers jersey, or 30 bucks for a pink Packers hat, just give the money to the American Cancer Society, where it will do infinitely more good.

Or the Carbone Cancer Center at the UW.

But don't buy a pink jersey and think you're "supporting breast cancer awareness".