Banning Tattoos - First It’s Your Face, Then It’s Your Freedom...
Tyler Martina
Banning Tattoos - First It’s Your Face, Then It’s Your Freedom...
Recently I was flipping through my newsfeed when I saw an article about banning tattoos on the neck, face, and hands. Being a huge proponent of freedom and the ability for people being able to express themselves in any way they see fit. And, because we are not in some weird future version of Nazi Germany, I was intrigued and clicked to read more…. What followed was one of the most ridiculous, stunning, and downright insulting articles I have viewed in recent memory.
As stated in the above, I am pro freedom. I know it sounds crazy, but I love that we have the right to, for the most part, if you’re harming others to do whatever the fuck we want. Whether or not we use this freedom wisely is up to you.
Why?
Because that is exactly what freedom is. The ability to choose. Choice is freedom. The freedom to make the choice yourself. Not laws telling you what can and can not do. Real freedom.
Freedom is one of the reasons I opened Mr. Inkwells Tattoo shop in the first place. Tattoos embody freedom in ink. Other animals rely on instinct to adorn their bodies, a chameleon blends in with its surroundings to hide itself from predators, male peacocks grow dazzling feathers to attract females, and countless others in the animal kingdom can naturally alter their appearance in order to survive and thrive.
People were not gifted with this evolutionary advantage. However, people were gifted with something else, something far more powerful than any other animal on earth. What is this unique gift? That gift is the power of reason and logic. The power of choice.
Animals rely on their instincts to drive their actions. We people go a step beyond our furry friends with logic. When a dog hears a noise outside at night it barks. It hears the noise, gets scared and begins barking. There is no in between. The fear over takes them and they bark.
A person on the other hand, hears the noise, feels the ting of fear, then (unlike animals) thinks, we say to ourselves, what was that noise? Should I give away my position? Maybe it's a friend? Maybe it’s that pizza I ordered? You get the idea. Then we don’t just automatically react, we instead decide on how would like to react, then we act. We make a choice.
When animals change their appearance it is not a choice, it is instinctual, it is automatic. They do not have the extra step of deciding, they are slaves to their instincts. They have no real freedom, only humans do.
This freedom is what sets us apart. It makes us, us . Animals can naturally adorn themselves. Conversely, we have the freedom to choose where, when, and how. We have the freedom to get tattooed. Mr. Inkwells tattoo shop is a place that makes that easy, for anyone, to get anything, anywhere. Freedom, real human freedom is at the heart of tattoos.
That is why when I read the aforementioned article, an article about making face, neck, and hand tattoos illegal I was more than offended. Not only as a tattoo enthusiast, but as a human being.
Who were these bastards wanting to regulate my choice of how I want to decorate my body? What sick fascist was trying inhibit my freedom? What deranged power tripping politician was it this time?
The answer was almost more shocking than the insult itself…
Tattoo artists.
No. I am not shitting you. You read it right. Apparently there are people who tattoo for a living, supposed “artists”, that believe that we should make laws against getting tattooed in place they happen to think is a bad idea?!?
WTF?
This group of “tattoo artists” is apparently formed a federation called BTAF (British Tattoo Artist Federation). Click here to read more.
The reason they feel justified in their efforts to regulate freedom and ban tattoos from certain places on your body that they deem you shouldn’t is as follows. They believe making the choice of getting a tattoo on your face, neck, or hands before you are 21 will make it harder for those tattooed hooligans to get a job.
Well, fucken thanks mom! What an original argument for not getting tattoos. I am sure no one has ever heard “If you get that tattoo how are you going to get a job?” before in their life.
Not only is this one of the most ridiculous proposed laws I have heard about tattoos, it is also another great example of what happens when a bunch of losers form a club so they can exert control over others lives, because they have no control over their own.
But this time, it's not the usual suspects. These authoritarians claim to be artists. Usually artists are known for being open minded. Usually artists value their freedom and the freedom of others. Not these guys. But, I guess these guys aren't real artists anyway. Real artists are too busy pursuing their passions, creating, and honing their craft. They don’t have the time, nor desire to waste their lives trying to control the lives of others.
But, Lee Clements and BTAF have the time. Maybe these “artists” tattoo needles are too small (it’s usually a size thing)? Who knows the motive? Does the motive mater?
No.
What matters is that we put a stop to Lee and the meddling members of BTAF.
We know the story, we have all heard it before: A couple disgruntled individuals form a group, that group turns into a mob, that mob feeds off one another's anger, that anger turns into frustration, that frustration makes them realize how inadequate they are, that feeling of inadequacy make them want to blame others, that blame makes them want to control. That need to control results in creating laws, those laws block free will, and the loss of freewill is the loss of freedom.
It’s not one “Lee Clements” in the world that poses a threat to freedom. It’s when all the “Lee Clements” with nothing to do with their time get together and start trying to impose laws. That is why we need to call BTAF and Lee out on their shit. Before the smell of that shit gets across the pond.
Now, I can hear you saying this could never happen here.That’s why we left Britain and came here right? We could never be like these unlighted, inadequate, power hungry meat pie eating assholes, could we? Well my friend, always remember anything is possible….
That is why this rant is also a bit of a call to arms. A reminder of what freedom is and why we should cherish it. A reminder that at any moment the tide can turn and we can have a tattoo artists wanting to make tattoos illegal. So, today and the rest of your days remember what freedom is, remember it is what makes us human,. We are not stronger or faster. We do not have better vision or hearing. The only thing we excel at is that which makes us human… reason. The ability to choose. This is liberty, this is freedom. This is what they are trying to take.
Do not let them. Because once that is gone you have nothing else. You are just an animal without a specialty. Without what you need to survive. Destined for extinction. Whimpering as you die off.
So go out there and get tattooed wherever you want. Get a hand tattoo, a face tattoo, a neck tattoo. Hell tattoo your fucken eyeballs for all I care.
Would I tattoo my eyeballs? No.
Does that mean no one should do it because I wouldn't? Hell to the no.
Tyler Martina
Owner
Mr. Inkwells Classy Tattoos
(562) 446-3656
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