Tattoos

[qwazse]

When I was a teen, I read my brother's copy of "Our New Navy", which discouraged tattoos and helped me make up my mind never to get one. I explained to my kids that we are a bunch of unmarked cars!

 

That said, I saw one awesome fleur de lis on a gentleman this summer.

[OldGreyEagle]

When I was in Las Vegas this past month, I did think of getting a Fleur de Lis tattoo behind my knee, it would be something that both Pierre and I could use

[IM_Kathy]

I currently have 3... will eventually have 5.

 

of the ones I have now -

 

1 on my upper arm is a peace sign inside a heart stands for peace is found within love.

 

2 is on other upper arm it is a wrap around bracelet with a rose on it and then 2 hearts hanging down with the first letter of each kids names in them

 

3 is on an ankle and is butterfly wings around the AA symbol which I got when I was 15 years clean and sober which meant I was then sober longer than I drank if going from beginning to end.

 

of the ones I'm going to get...

 

I will be getting a koi fish on the other ankle it has some personal meaning to me

 

the other will be matching tattoos with my husband for our 20th wedding anniversary... will be his first though he's always wanted another tattoo as well so this might get him off him duff and get it too.

 

I like tattoos because it's a way to express yourself - for me the key is to keep them placed somewhere that I can keep them covered when I need to and can show them when I want to. When I'm in full BSA uniform you cannot see any of them - even if I'm in shorts because I will wear longer socks to cover the ankle tattoo. The only time I have no chance of covereing them is in swimsuit.

[Eamonn]

I've never had the urge to want or get a tat.

That is to say not on me. The dogs have tats and chips!

 

OJ has been pestering me for years to get a tattoo. I held fast and said No!

Seem to remember even giving him the favorite parent "As long as you live under my roof..." Speech -The one I heard all too often when I was a little fellow.

I should warn others about this speech.

He is now 23, for his twenty-first birthday I was silly enough to help him buy his own house.

So of course the roof is no longer mine.

The path to the tattoo started with him having his nipples pierced!!

I have no idea what that's all about.

If ever anything was ever daffy this is it.

He now makes a point of always having a shirt on whenever I'm around.

Every trick in the book was tried by him to get me to give my approval for a tattoo.

He tried telling me that he wanted an Eagle tattoo, because he was an Eagle Scout -It didn't fly!

Then he tried telling me that he wanted two crossed flags the American Stars and stripes and the Irish tricolor. That didn't fly either!

About six months back he went ahead without my approval and got what looks like a big black mark on his calf.

Look at it one way and it says Life and look at it another it spells out death.

Needless to say I'm not happy.

 

I see a lot of tattoos where I work in jail.

Some are gang related and can mean bad news.

The guys who have the tattoos from white supremacist gangs like the Aryan Brotherhood are taking a big risk.

A lot of the Hispanic inmates belong to gangs like the Latin Kings or Neta have tats that have all sorts of meanings. These gangs are very well organized and very well structured. Something that we who work in corrections take very seriously.

Of course some guys have tattoos that they really haven't "Earned".

The tattoo of a tear-drop under they eye is supposed to show that you have killed /murdered someone. While I know guys who have four and even five of these which are "Real". -Guys who have killed four or five people. I also know guys who have the tattoos who haven't killed anyone yet.

Some of the artwork is really good.

In PA tattooing is not allowed in any of the State institutions mainly because of the health risks involved. At times I'm amazed at how far some inmates will go in order to get a tattoo or be in the business of making and selling them.

I'm not a great lover of tattoos ans can never see me having one.

Ea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CalicoPenn]

No tattoos. I may have a high tolerance for pain (I once fell asleep in the endodontists chair while having a root canal done without lidocaine) but I don't go searching for pain.

 

But I don't care if others have tattoos - as long as they don't care if I stare at them while taking in the artwork on their bodies.

 

 

[SeattlePioneer]

As I understand it, Jewish religious values discourage or prohibnit tattoos.

 

I suspect that's true for most Christian and Moslem churches and mosques as well --- anyone know?

 

I've suggested that the popularity of tattooing comes from our prison and gang cultures, with another dollup from the enlisted military culture.

 

As I understand it, racist or otherwise offensive tattoos will prevent people from enlisting in the military.

 

Anyone know the extent to which tattooing in either accepted for those being officers in the US military or whether it will result in people being excluded from such positions?

 

 

[OwntheNight]

No Ink.....Yet. Have had my ears pierced,but those holes have probably closed up since I haven't worn the studs or loops for a couple of years. I'd like to get some ink, but haven't come up with the right design yet, since it is a permanent thing, and I want to do it right. I also haven't done it yet because I wouldn't be able to be a blood donor for at least a year. Giving that up just seems a little selfish on my part, just for some ink.

 

I appreciate the art of the tattoo. Both my younger sister and brother have artwork done on them that is tastefully done, but still shows their personality and things that are important to them.

[packsaddle]

I once knew a faculty member who lived his entire life, tattooed over his entire body where it could be covered by a suit of clothing. No one suspected anything until he retired. That was when we found out. What a great secret!(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

[Trevorum]

I take it he was not a field scientist ...

[packsaddle]

Without revealing too much about identity...he WAS! The whole story is something I can't comfortably write in these forums.(This message has been edited by packsaddle)

[WAKWIB]

I suppose that if I was currently a younger adult, a tat might just be something I would do...but being a fairly hairy fellow I don't think it would serve much purpose. It would have to be located in a not-for-public-view area. I think the art and science of tattoos have come a long way. Some of it is pretty amazing. Scoutfish's being a good example and I've seen some even more elaborate.

 

I am surprised at the number of ladies who get it done these days. But, I guess since the artwork has improved dramatically over the sailor and biker stuff I knew as a kid it shouldn't surprise me that much.

 

As far as religious taboos about tattoos go, as a Christian,I don't see any clear, screaming prohibition against it in the New Testament. However, a check-up of motive should come into play, especially for a young person who is only doing it to impress or fit-in. The group he/she is trying to impress or fit-in with may be steering that person into some wrong paths.

[packsaddle]

A tattoo or piercing automatically disqualifies that person during a one-year deferral from donating blood stem cells or other tissues. In some states it causes deferral of the person from donating blood. That fact alone ought to be enough to give pause.

[Eagle92]

No tats here, due to a variety of reasons. 1) I hate pain. 2) After having an "Easter egg" size infection from an unclean needle (doc put the needle down to answer the phone, picked it up and gave me the vaccination)that had me in the ER for one procedure, then weekly procedures in a different doctor's office for about 3-5 weeks, I HATE NEEDLES! (caps for both emphasis and shouting, I HATE NEEDLES that much ). 3) Remember the story of "Gimlet Eye" Butler who had a large EGA on his chest, only to have the artwork essentially ruined when he got shot. 4) Knew someone who had a tat with a girlfriend's name on it, and he always told me "DON'T GET A TATTOO" (Caps for him shouting at me).

 

Now do I think they look cool, some of them. I've seen some that look freaking awesome and some look very horrible.

[Nike]

Having a tattoo does not affect a military officer's career. Our officers are a pretty good cross section of middle-class America and plenty of them have tattoos of some type. Well, no facial tats.

 

However, military personnel of any rank can no longer get new tattos on any body part that is not covered by a summer PT uniform.(This message has been edited by Nike)

[qwazse]

I've never heard of a general prohibition from Christian circles. Old Testemant references indicate that peircing was used indicate voluntary servitude for life. In the Apocolypse, Christ returns with a "King of Kings" tat on his legs.