On My Soap Box Again

I am not a big fan of tattooing even though Mr. Fixit has a rather tasteful parachute tattoo as a remembrance of being a member of the 101st Airborne Division, and my younger son and his wife have a little body art. Hers is on her shoulder blade; his is on his upper arm. The ones I really hate are the “homemade” ones and the ones on ladies my age who are not aging gracefully. The other day I saw an older woman with a dream catcher tattooed just above her wrist with the dangly feathers reaching to the back of her hand. It must have hurt like heck. She had to be my age at least. While I wouldn’t have a tattoo myself, I would defend anyone’s right to have one even if I think it’s tacky.

A news story in The Greenville News described the new restrictions in the City of Easley regarding tattoo parlors. The City Council voted to adopt regulations that require tattoo parlors to be restricted to areas zoned as industrial (not commercial) districts. The businesses can’t be within 1,000 feet of churches or religious institutions, schools, playgrounds or recreational facilities, medical facilities, other tattoo parlors, or residentially zone lots or apartments. According to the ordinance, no back-lighted awnings, exposed neon, building graphics, outdoor seating, fluorescent and metallic paints, window displays or signs other than open/closed signs and business hours signs will be allowed.

The State Legislature recently enacted laws that made tattooing legal here in South Carolina.

It appears to me that the Council is trying to “zone” these businesses right out of business because of their personal tastes. This is America. We have the right to have bad taste and tattoos if we want. It seems to me that tattoo parlors cause much less harm than establishments that sell alcoholic beverages and cigarettes. I’ve never heard of anyone who blamed his/her tattoo for the causing an automobile accident. I’ve never heard the man who beats his wife or child saying, “This tattoo made me do it.” I’ve never heard that tattooing causes cancer. (I’m aware of the danger of AIDS and hepatitis, but if proper procedures are followed, the risk is greatly lowered.) How long has it been since I’ve read of a shooting or a stabbing in the parking lot of a tattoo parlor? Hmm, let’s see. The last one I heard about was. . . No, I’m wrong. The incident I’m thinking about was in the parking lot of a beer joint with a load of neon flashing less than 1,000 feet from a doctor’s office and a big ole hand painted sign saying “Bubba’s Place.”

Are they trying to legislate good taste? What’s next--an ordinance banning gangsta rap, low-riding jeans, country music, and little old ladies in visors, fanny packs, clam diggers, ankle bracelets, and metallic ballet slippers? Just because I think these things are tacky doesn’t mean that I should be able to dictate to others who do like these things.

I wonder if there is a lawsuit in the future. There should be.