"Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" (and he hates tattoos so don't ever get one).
What's 'trendy' can come and go but there is one outstanding reason why a person should not get a tattoo: it doesn't stand for what they believe any longer.
Unless you're planning on being cremated, a tattoo will represent who you are all the days of your life, like it or not.
Any of these stories can be found on the internet. No direct URL's are listed simply because there are too many of them.
The foregoing is an account of 10 stories of people whose lives were affected negatively and it should serve as a warning to those thinking of getting "inked" for good.
Unfortunately, the outcomes of these stories have no happy ending. They are simply told as a way of communicating the after-effects and associated problems with getting a tattoo.
1. Pastor Turns Off Refugees. Right off the bat, a pastor who is wearing a host of Christian symbols is NOT representing anything but his total belief system...and one he won't be swayed on.
A trip to Africa to help people who were victims of starvation looked the other way when he approached them. "Oh, if we are to get food, we have to be a part of your religion?"
The pastor learned his lesson and instead of broadcasting his beliefs on his body, chose instead to show the love of Jesus Christ in thought, word, and deed.
2. Man Falsely Accused of Committing Crime: Monkey see, monkey do with many tattoos, especially tattooes that are "cookie cutter" designs. A man was accused of a rape crime he didn't commit.
When describing her assailant, a woman said he had a "cupid with bow and arrow" on his right forearm. A man was later picked up with that description but it wasn't until later that police realized they had the wrong person.
3. Jewish Woman Hacks Off Tattoo: A woman who went through the holocaust has had enough and took a knife to gouge out her "numbers." Because the tattoo was on her wrist, she accidentally hit a main artery and bled to death.
4. Vietnam War Vets with Tattoos are Discriminated: Many people who served during the Vietnam war are discriminated against with their tattoos. Some of the men who served are sent to mental health physicians and clinics and some denied treatment at all.
Worse yet: those who returned with Vietnamese wives and children are often frowned upon in their neighborhoods.
5. Parents Jailed for Minor Childrens' Tattoos: Many parents have found themselves behind bars even though they signed consent forms for their children being tattooed. You need to be sure to read your state and country statutes before allowing your children to be tattooed.
6. Husband Pours Acid on Wife's Tattoo: Women are disfigured and some have died as a result of an irate husband's idea to remove a tattoo they hated. One woman's husband wanted HER gone and poured too much acid and gasoline on her which resulted in her being burned to death.
7. Tattooed People Not Finding Jobs: Today, employers have become even more picky about the people they hire. Those with tattoos are usually crossed off the list of potential employees no matter what skills they possess.
The reason?: "People who get tattoos are too flighty in their nature and tend to cross lines in society and in the workplace."
8. Religious Sects Renounce Tattoos: Until they get them removed, people who attend churches and other places of worship can be denied membership.
This 'ordinance' goes back to several biblical and Hindu scriptures that condemn the disfiguration or change of the body unless it was done unwillingly.
9. People Arrested for Tattoing Pets: Okay, it's cheaper than micro-chipping, but people have been arrested for tattoing their pets.
Animal rights activists say that the pain inflicted by the process cannot be determined although they have proof of animails dying as a result of trauma and/or infection.
10. Tattoos Indicate Financial Status: Studies show that people who have tattoos most often come from poor financial backgrounds and situations.
Tattoos can be cheap to get and some are 'home processed', meaning that they were applied with needle and string. This problem is further perpetuated by people of various backgrounds and affiliations including gangs, memberships in questionable groups, and racial profiles.
