Clarke 1 Alexandria Clarke Dr. Bice English 11011 1 February 2012 Its a Free World and a Free Canvas.

Creativity is such an open, free, subjective thing that not one person can define it for everyone. What is a creative outlet for one is not for another and that is, or at least should be, understood. But where is the line crossed? When someone expresses themselves by using their own body as a canvas? Tattoos are a choice and people who discriminate against it are conveying their opinion where it definitely is not needed. Art does not need to be justified, though many individuals have honorable reasons for their tattoos. Furthermore, people should respect the choice that others make and live and let live. And honestly, is ink really that terrifying? It is a picture. On skin. Where is it stated that one man has the right to choose what another fellow, equal, man does to himself? If it does not involve him then he need not be concerned with it. The audacity of people to wince and glare at others just because they have an inked picture on their body is appalling. The thing that some people cannot seem to grasp is that their opinion is not the opinion for everyone, that what they think should be is not how it always is going to be. If a similar image was painted on a canvas, people would go look at it in an art gallery, maybe even buy it to hang in their foyer. Although, once the ink hits the flesh,

Clarke 1 the image becomes something else entirely to them. What is the difference? A picture is still a picture, is it not? It was not inked with blood. Furthermore, the pictures individuals choose mean something to them. Its an expression of how they see themselves and how they want to be portrayed to the world. This is what art is all about in the first place. Not only is a tattoo a unique expression of creativity, but it can also serve as a memoir or a remembrance of something important in a persons life. Many firefighters who are survivors of the 9/11 attack, along with veterans, have tattoos to remind them of their struggles and what they have endured. They are a symbol of pride to them. If they serve our country with such selflessness, should not they be allowed to decorate their body as they want? People argue against tattoos on two sides: one, because of health concerns, and two, because of difficulty of employment. The health concerns are real. People do get infections from getting tattoos. In the broad perspective however, people can be harmed as a result of anything. If humans stopped doing something because of a risk of infection or injury there would be few activities that they would partake in. It is why one wears a helmet when he rides a bike. It is why one does not let his Great Aunt Helen operate on his brain, and it is why one should always make sure that the tattoo parlor he is going to is reputable and is following safety precautions. It is a pretty simple precaution.

Clarke 1 The difficultly of employment is equally valid, but it would not be if more people got tattoos. Companies cannot fire everyone. It would send a message that a persons ability to work has absolutely nothing to do with his tattoos. A scenario with a man with a tattoo working at a restaurant might go along like so: Here are your menus; Ill be back in a little bit to get your drink orders. The young man smiles and leaves the middle age couple in their booth. The woman frowns as the man turns and walks to another table. She hears him pleasantly ask the family how they are doing. His kindness is lost on her. I think we should leave George. Why darling? Theyre having a special on swordfish. I havent had swordfish in years. . . Have you seen our waiter? Hes frightening. Theres some lizard thing on his arm. She scrunches up her nose like she smells something horrendous. The man puts his menu down and eyes his wife warily. He obviously hadnt been standing on the tattoo-arm side. A what? He has a tattoo. She whispers as the waiter walks by again. The man turns around and watches the waiter brings out food for another table. Sure enough, a small head of a dragon is visible just under the edge of his shirt. Theres

Clarke 1 also a star on the back of his neck. The man makes a small disgusted sound and puts his menu down. Dont worry about it dear, I shall talk to management about this. This is an upstanding restaurant. The man eventually does find the manager of the restaurant, and the married couples waiter is changed. For the young man, who was originally their waiter, this has been the fifth event of a group requesting not to be served by him. He does not understand. If he is kind and delivers their food on time, what does it matter? The waiter is right. It does not matter. Sadly people in this society think that different is bad, so tattoos are scary to them. It breaks their perfect image of how the world should be. Too bad the world is not perfect, nor is made to suit ones beliefs. So the best advice for people who see tattoos and immediately judge is to get over it and to live their own life. The choice to be different is what art is. It is freedom.