Bigot News Columnist in PA: People With Tattoos are Ignorant Low-Lives

Why is it infuriating to discover that ignorant, prejudiced people live in close proximity to a whole other breed of prejudiced people in a bumfuck half-dead steel town that is slowly rusting away? It isn't exactly hatred of tattooed people that makes the LV infamous, it's a whole different type of skin-related prejudice.

i think this is fantastic. its my experience that the best clinicians tend to be those who's personalities and habits can't be boxed into the normally conservative 'physician' persona as those individuals also tend to display the ability to think unconventionally more often than our more conventional colleauges. having said that, this person is, in a way, indirectly offering to purposely choose a lower standard of care for themselves due to their own bias. i like to call this 21st century natural selection...

i thought it was the ren faire that made the lv infamous....

You just described every little town in the Great-Lakes Region. If you honestly think that Lehigh, PA is the only little town that operates like this, you're wrong.

I am currently sitting in Brunswick Hills, Ohio. I can look out the window and count at least three confederate flags. They aren't being flown because it has anything to do with racism, it's because the individuals consider themselves "rebels", when in reality they don't have enough education to even understand what the flag means. Andgoodmotherfuckinggod if i hear "freebird" one more time i am going to stab myself in the ears with a sharpened stick.

I am currently amongst people that look at me like i am some kind of freak because i have lip piercings, but in the same thought they forgo meals and buying essentials (like soap) and paying bills to ensure that they can procure their two bottles of jack daniels for the weekend.

Here is what it comes down to. If they want to judge me solely on looks and choose not to know me, it's truthfully no skin off my back. It's probably one less drunken moron i have to deal with. If they point and giggle or judge, it doesn't affect my paycheck, my daughter doesn't suffer because of it, i don't get years taken off my life, i don't lose any life points, my truck doesn't implode because they do that, i don't lose any belongings because of it. If some nobody in the grand scheme of things hates my tattoos and piercings, i am more than likely better off without them in my life.

If you really want to try something fun, be a parent and go to a PTA meeting with visible tattoos and piercings. Evidently since i have these, they directly affect my ability to be a moral and good parent.

Some people are assholes. It's how life works.

i don't think she really believes that lehigh is the only little town with that type of character. it seemed more like she was just expressing frustration at the experience without realizing that it's probably more a characteristic of small town u.s.a. than just rural pa.

p.s. i think the idea of you sitting pierced and tattooed in a pta meeting in small town ohio is awesome and elevates my opinion of you (not that it was low before). your revenge will be raising your daughter to be a better human being than most of their children.

She took tests and was deemed *gifted* by the State of Ohio. She was one of three in her entire school to test so high (about 300 kids grades K-8), and the only child in her grade to achieve this. Granted she is only in second grade, but it still made me feel good.

In fact it made me feel so good after hearing how well she did, that i specifically had a t-shirt made for the PTA meeting that followed the announcement of her accomplishments in the school newsletter.

t-shirt, hahahaha, that's awesome. one parent to another...congratulations and i'm sure it did make you feel good, you deserve to feel every bit as proud as you do.

Ren Faire's in Lancaster Co. Plus the Ren Faire is what makes LC awesome.

LV is infamous for hanging on to Bethlehem Steel as its primary industry before transitioning to, uh .... being an exurb for NYC and Philly McMansioneers. Also, skinheads.

For real. Take your meds, Paul. We're all pulling for you.

good point, i will never again transpose the kingdom of wild water with the county of ye olde awesomeness.

i tried but me + photoshop = suck

This thread makes me miss Saraphine even more. I would love to see her go one on one with this guy over the radio.

Random note: I'm down in Charleston at the moment. It's pretty conservative. But anyway, I was at a really fancy restaurant and this couple next to me was hanging out with a couple they met there at the bar. The woman had a spider web tattoo on her shoulder (which I personally believe was pretty horribly conceived, I love tattoos but wasn't particularly impressed with this one).

When they left, the one woman made some comment about the tattoo and the dude (obviously very wealthy conservative Southern gentleman) just blew the comment off and said something like "it couldn't been a crazy night in college, she seemed really nice to me." I have to be honest I was kinda shocked. Despite the fact that the lady made the initial comment, I was surprised by the nonchalant attitude her husband had.

It's definitely a different day and age. Besides, when is the last time you've been in PA outside of Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, State College, or Philly? This all might make more sense.

Hey now, I come from a small town in the Great Lakes region and it isn't nearly that bad. You get some of those retarded "Rebels" who fly that flag anywhere you go, but don't go around lumping everyone who lives in the region together like that.
That all being said, you're going to find close-minded idiots no matter where you go. The only difference in small towns, is that there are less people and so the asswipes stick out more. I'm sure if you went to LA or New York you'd find the same kinda people, as well.
This certainly doens't make it 'okay' in the least. Stupidity offends me no matter where its coming from, and people who hold ignorant views need to be confronted, if not for their own good, than at least to stop others from following down the same path.
This guy's sounds like a jackass; his comments about the Pacific Islanders was horribly offensive, and I hope that people do write and call him on it. The man comes offas one of those stodgy old folks who have rarely, if ever, traveled away from their home and have no interested in truly understanding the world or appreciating those who don't share their narrow views.
The OP has ever right to be offended that this guy feels as if its okay to say these sort of things, in a news paper no less. If he came from my hometown I'd have felt the same way and, most likely, would have been sending in my own letter to the editor.

By the way; don't you be hatin on Skynard! LS is a GREAT band, and I love their music. Although I will agree that Freebird is WAYYYYYY over rated. I much prefer "Give Me Three Steps", "Saturday Night Special" and, my absolute favorite, "I Can't Change". Great stuff.
And, last I checked, I think Lynard Skynard had members with tattoos

Thats a great story. It reminds me of when I got my first, and so far only, tattoo (I want to get at least one or two more). Both of my parents hate tattoos with a passion; my Mother has always found them trashy. In my Dad's case it has more to do with the fact that my Grandpa has one, and my Dad and his Father had a very rocky relationship for the first 30 years.
Anyway, when I got mine, my Dad immediately took a liking too it and decided that maybe HE should get one as well. My Mother, after she got over nearly hyperventalating at the thought of her husband having one, grudgingly admitted that she LIKED mine and it looked very nice. Even more astonishing, most of my aunts and uncles, who are rather conservative in such matters, also seemed to like it.
Now, thats family and all, so it stands to reason they would accept it. But I've never once ran into any negative feelings from other people either. The closest I ever came was an 80+ year old woman who asked me if I was a biker
There will always be those handcases who are going to hate ANYTHING that young people are doing. Its to be expected. But I think, by and large, they've become much more acceptable in mainstream society.

Which, come ot tihnk of it, DOES get rid of some of the fun