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<p>Surprised? That’s what I find surprising. Well, welcome to the world.</p>
<p>Cosmic: probably both. To me, it looks like graffiti. Whether it was on a shirt or on her skin. Same as a building whether it’s done in chalk or paint, still not an attractive look. Or a car during senior week when the kids spray paint their cars. Pretty sure most people feel the same, or we’d see a lot more spray painted cars. Why is it then attractive on a human?</p>
<p>I get that people don’t like tattoos. I don’t like a lot of tattoos. I am drawing a distinction between seeing one and thinking the tattoo is ugly and seeing one and thinking the person’s character is ugly or questioning their values. You might even question their judgment, depending on the tattoo. I question the judgment of people who tan and put silicone in their lips, but I don’t question their character.</p>
<p>Thank you musicprnt. My S1 is one of those military guys with tattoos. A lot of their tattoos are based on Naval tradition. I would venture a guess that every man in his company has at least one. Theirs is tightly bonded small elite community within the Navy. The training was brutal and the missions are dangerous. It’s a thing that bonds men together. I asked S1 why he chose his latest tattoo and he said “Navy tradition”.</p>
<p>“I’m aware of the rich history of the indigenous people around the world, but we’re not them.”</p>
<p>I am one of them and the only tattoo have is traditionally based. I’m happy to explain to people that it’s a cultural signifier and sacred tradition. I’ve yet to have someone view the fact that I am connected to my community and traditions as negative after I have told them about my small, light colored, and barely noticeable tattoo. </p>
<p>And the idea that Indigenous folks are only in history is a fallacy and insulting. I’m not trying to start a fight, but there are still Indigenous folks that have yet to be assimilated in this world and many more who are reversing that assimilation as much as they can and remain part of the modern world we were born/colonized into. </p>
<p>My mother’s mom was a missionary, is very conservative, and is white. She thinks it’s fine that I have a tattoo that is part of my Native culture and that really surprised me. My other cousin, who is probably her favorite- if we are being honest ;), has a small ankh tattoo and is afraid to show it to our grandmother. We both don’t think she would be as forgiving of cousin’s tattoo as mine. I understand why- my grandmother thinks that Christians shouldn’t have tattoos according to the Bible. My cousin is a Christian and is not in anyway linked to Egyptian antiquity hereditarily, I am openly not a Christian and my tattoo is Cherokee. There is a difference, but I think my grandmother would be somewhat okay with cousin’s tattoo because it is small, easily covered, simple, and (most of all) my cousin can tell you meaningfully why she got it. As my gran has gotten older she has definitely started representing the “only God can judge” viewpoint.</p>
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Thank you! Yes, I find people who not only choose but celebrate the ability to misjudge others based on superficial features surprising, in the same way that I find people who see Jackass and decide to replicate those activities surprising. That is, I know such people exist, but meeting one is always a surprise.</p>
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<p>With all due respect, 2redhares, I didn’t say indigenous peoples are only in history. I said I was aware of “the rich history of indigenous people.” Not intended as an insult, by any means.</p>
<p>@packmom, this caught my eye:</p>
<p>“Theirs is tightly bonded small elite community within the Navy. The training was brutal and the missions are dangerous. It’s a thing that bonds men together.”</p>
<p>I couldn’t resist, Chuck Pfarrer wrote this great book about his experiences in the Navy Seals which is half serious and half goofy, like many war stories and such (his section on being in Lebanon when the barracks got bombed is part ultra sad and parts really funny). Anyway, he described a bar the SEALS often hung out at off base, that had a lot of bikers and more then a few lesbian women, and he talked about how the SEALS often passed the time comparing tattoos with the others and exchanging stories of how they got them and what they meant <em>smile</em></p>
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<p>I’ve met quite a few in the six+ decades I’ve been on the planet, and no, it doesn’t
surprise me. People are born judges. It’s in our genes. Probably some kind of survival mechanism to help us find our mothers, I don’t know. But, I know something like prominent visible tattoos can limit ones’ opportunities in the world, and it saddens me when young people with limited life experience, especially those close to me, make permanent decisions that can hamper their futures.</p>
<p>"I’m aware of the rich history of the indigenous people around the world, but we’re not them. "</p>
<p>The collective use of we was what upset me, it was an over arching statement that implies (imo) that people are no longer Native, as in Indigenous ppl only exist in history or that we who have mentioned being Indigenous on this post no longer qualify as Native. Either option is insulting. If you meant you are not Native (which from the attitude expressed, I assume you are not), I hope people take note to use personal pronouns in the future for clarity.</p>
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<p>I think pretty much everyone respects most servicemen and feels that whatever their rituals are, they’re deserved and understood. They put their lives on the line, and they need to form strong bonds to survive.
But do people have the same understanding when they see an affluent 20 year old with scribbles across her forearms? Do they nod in respect to her? Or do they think she’s a poser, or involved with the drug scene, looking for attention, or a someone with mental issues? Do they wonder if she’s a stable enough person to watch/teach their kids?
I already know the answer, I think.
Most of you on CC would be very ok with it, apparently. Wish that were the case in real life.</p>
<p>Sorry, redhares. I see your point.</p>
<p>I’m sorry, but I don’t. Do indigenous people want to be called native, too?</p>
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Can you reword this?</p>
<p>One problem tat people run up against is: that a dodgy brand gained acceptance with the Angelina Jolies of the world. Not to say the jailhouse crowd, the bikers, porn stars, or the gang members weren’t still inking away, but rather that good looking women decided it was the kind of counter culture statement they could make to stay relevant with fans or husbands. </p>
<p>I recall a WSJ article from a few years back where the author said that, though he didn’t really care for tattoos, he appreciated that people were willing to get them. Essentially, that it made stereotyping almost effortless. Can’t find it but did find this:</p>
<p>[Color</a>, Size and Smoking Affect Tattoo Removal - WSJ.com](<a href=“Color, Size and Smoking Affect Tattoo Removal - WSJ”>Color, Size and Smoking Affect Tattoo Removal - WSJ)</p>
<p>Go with dark colors, in case you have second thoughts.</p>
<p>^ Interesting article although I doubt if the OP gets a tattoo OP would want to get it removed it does say that:</p>
<p>“Other factors that reduced the procedure’s success included a design larger than 12 inches or one located on the feet or legs.”</p>
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Is there any instance in which the word “stereotyping” has been used to represent a good behavior?</p>
<p>Oh, and the lack of technical understanding in that article makes want to cry.</p>
<p>Well, S1 has one on his foot and one that is prob. twelve inches on his calf that goes all the way around his leg(sleeve-like) So I guess he has them for life. </p>
<p>He doesn’t have any on his arms. neck, face, or back. Other than the calf and foot tats, all others are on his abdomen/ribcage. So unless he applies for a job wearing shorts and flip flops, a potential employer will have no idea that he has them.</p>
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This discussion includes (in my opinion) a lot of overstatement. If you were a person with all those fine qualities, including a new car, but also bought a pit bull, or let your teenager go to a coed sleepover, or any number of other things, I would disagree with your judgment with regard to that decision. Its the same for the tattoo. So unless you have no respect for anybody you know, you may have to get used to people questioning your judgment with respect to some of the decisions you make.</p>
<p>@Niquii: What Indigenous people want to be called is up to them and it varies. Overall, most people that I know prefer to be refered to by their tribal/nation name. I prefer to say I’m Tsalagi and Chahta, but for ease of conversation I will say that I am Cherokee and Choctaw. Some people are alright with being called Native American (shortened colloquially to Native), First Nations (if in Canada), First Peoples, Indigenous, Aboriginal (usually Aboriginal Australians but others use the term), or American Indian and some are fine with Indian (though I would not call anyone that unless they gave me permission and indicated that as their preference, I personally do not like it, but am okay with the reclaimation of the term through the use of NDN as a self/community identifier.) It is not anyones right to tell an Indigenous person what they should be called. I, as a American Indian, do not have the right to tell others what to use to refer to themselves either. All of these terms should be capitalized just as you would capitalize African American or Jewish, etc. </p>
<p>I don’t know what I need to reword? I found the use of “we” in a collective way coupled with the use of “history” as a form of erasure, or at the very least misused. I realize that the poster meant “I” or “collectively people without those cultures.” However, the way it was phrased was hurtful, even though I believe that was not the poster’s intention.</p>
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<p>What does having a pit bull have to do with anything? I adopted a pit bull in July and I can’t even name how many people I know who have them. Several of them have more than one. That’s another stereotype that needs to end.</p>