The Red Tape before Getting Ink By R.C. Seely Considering getting that new tattoo that you saved all summer to get? Maybe you’re turning eighteen and want to celebrate your coming of age with a navel piercing. Or you want to mark a memorable moment like beating cancer or the birth of your first child. Well you may have to endure for a little longer, a twenty-four hour waiting period, to be more precise. At least that will be the case if the Department of Health’s new guidelines get turned into law. Straight from the government to you: 204 PRE-OPERATING PROCEDURES - WAITING PERIOD, TATTOOS &BODY-PIERCINGS * 204.1 The licensee or operator of a body art establishment shall ensure that no tattoo artist applies any tattoo to a customer until after twenty-four (24) hours have passed since the customer first requested the tattoo. 204.2 The licensee or operator of a body art establishment shall ensure that no body- piercer shall body-pierce a customer until after twenty-four (24) hours have passed since the customer first requested the body-piercing. 204.3 The licensee or operator shall ensure that no body artist or body art establishment shall bind or attempt to bind a customer to committing to obtaining a tattoo or body- piercing, or bind or attempt to bind a customer into paying for a tattoo or body- piercing upon signing the Twenty-four (24) Hour Waiting Period Acknowledgment Form. Why are they butting in on this issue, well because they know best remember. In fact that is the reason given to the Washington Post, by Najma Roberts of the Department of Health: “We’re making sure when the decision is made that you’re in the right frame of mind, and you don’t wake up the next morning… Oh my god, what happened?” Oh isn’t that sweet how they are looking for you? Actually I find it downright creepy. Just when you think the government can’t find another part of our lives to concern itself with… Surprise! I’m sure some reader this are wondering- hey what’s the big deal? So you have to wait for a day to get a tattoo or piercing? That’s not the point, the problem is that the government is dictating a very personal choice that is frankly none of their business. Look at the reason given what does that have to do with the Department of Health? How is this a health risk? It’s not tattoos and piercing are perfectly safe if done right. This about control. If they start down this road where will it end? Will they start saying what tattoos are illegal? Saying how many you can legally have? Or worse will they start to order you to get a tattoo, like oppressive governments in the past have to mark the “inferior” of the society. I’m not saying that any of those things will happen, but how can you be so sure it won’t? This is one my decision that is being taking away from you and those in charge have already done away with so many. What you can put into your body, the stupid things you should be allowed to do, your privacy, the prices of goods are services- because of regulations, your choices with your children, your choices in morality and now your right at self expression. Where will this madness end? Will those who make the choices for us ever be satisfied? Or is this a continuous loop of oppression? Lastly where does Obama stand on this? He made his opinion clear when he said that if his daughters ever got a tattoo he and Michelle would go out and get the exact same ones. What happened to the “rock star” president who was so new age and progressive? He and McCain are sounding more and more alike all the time. So why did we even bother with the farce of an election if we get the same thing either way. R.C. Seely is a blogger and author, his works include ‘We the Rodents’ A Fairy Tale, Legacy and he is currently working on Unconventional Wisdom, which is where this article will also be found. He also has a blog on wordpress Americanus Libertae.
Posted on: Tue, 10 Sep 2013 19:56:59 +0000
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