From young to old, male to female, and from hipsters to athletes, more now than ever you will see people sporting tattoos.
Tattoos to me are an addiction and personal interest of mine. The look, the feel, and the stories of how and why people got them intrigue me. Many people get them for many different reasons like religious purposes, military service, and the occasional drunken Saturday night. Every tattoo has a story to tell and deserve to be told and respected.
Although many people still judge the people that have them before they get to know them, the stereotype has dimmed down from past prejudges. But very recently AOL Fanhouse's David Whitley wrote an article stating that he thinks San Francisco 49ner quarterback Colin Kaepernick's tattoos make him look like an inmate rather than an NFL quarterback.
“Approximately 98.7 percent of the inmates at California’s state prison have tattoos,” Whitley estimated. “I’m also pretty sure less than 1.3 percent of NFL quarterbacks have tattoos. There’s a reason for that,”
(Colin Kaepernick SF 49ners quarterback)
Just because the man has tattoos, Whitley judged him, depicting him as a bad person, even going as far as stating he looked like a criminal.
I feel a connection to Kaepernick because I have heard things from people close to me that suggest I don't get them because of peoples' judgement. Many people still tell me that if I want the career I want I need to have them covered. “They will not let you become a teacher if you are covered with tattoos.” I have heard it many times before and I don’t care; I believe if they pass judgment on me for that, they would lose out on a passionate person who would be a great teacher.
To me, it has become more of a generational fashion trend in today’s society that has bonded people that have them. Now I hear people say things like “You don’t have a tattoo yet? Weird.” It just makes me happy that more people are getting them and are not afraid to show them off.
Although I feel like everyone’s art is their own if I were to get a new tattoo it would have to have great meaning to me, and I would like to get many more than what I have now.
I feel the same way about the whole "tattoo issue." I love my tattoos and they have deep meanings behind them and yes they are very addicting and I want to get more. But it is also true that I try and get them in places where they can be covered up if necessary because I'm not even sure what kind of job I want to have in the future but it does suck that I have to think that way. good topic though!
ReplyDeleteAustin,
ReplyDeleteI think it is terrible that the article you read compared people simply because of tattoos. It almsost makes me sick. My brother is in prison, and has been for pretty much his whole life, yet he just within the last 6 months got his first tattoo....so I think it's ridiculous to say that all inmates have tattoos. I think if you want to become a teacher, it depends on the grade you teach that will depend on if you need to cover your tattoos or not. So glad to see someone else in the class who appreciates tattoos as much as I do!
-Libby
Austin,
ReplyDeleteI have 6 tattoos and I love my tattoos. I feel that everyone has right to express themselves. Tattoos are art. PERIOD. There should be no stereotyping when it come to people who choose to wear their art. For many of us the tattoos have meaning so when people look down on tattoos it is a bit annoying.
Great commenting, everyone. Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteAustin--The blog is looking very good. Nice visual appeal. Your writing flows pretty well, and your voice is comfortable. You have good content and ideas. Keep developing and connecting to your audience with explanation as to why your words are important to them. Keep it up.