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Verfasser: James

Datum: Freitag, den 1. Dezember 2000, um 19:53 Uhr

Betrifft: Piercing, Tattoos und Hinckley

Aus dem Standard Examiner (Ogden, Utah)

Herrlich und schÃ¶n! Eine schÃ¶ne Gemeinde! KÃ¶stlich!!!

"Life at the Top: Church pokes holes in kids’ individualism
Saturday, November 25, 2000

That chorus of weeping and wailing you’ve been hearing the last few weeks is the sound of teenagers across the state, reacting to the recent news that tattoos and body piercings are on the outs with the LDS Church leadership.

You’d have thought the church had just made benzoyl peroxide a part of the Word of Wisdom.

Not since my own teenage days, when church leader Boyd K. Packer routinely spoke out against the evils of our music, has there been such a potential rift between teens and the church leadership. (Of course, that was ’70s music -- Barry Manilow, Bay City Rollers, disco. Who knew Elder Packer would turn out to be right on that one?)

In fact, at one point in the 1970s, in an attempt to do the right thing, I actually threw out a couple of my KISS albums.

So let me just say to all of you young people out there that I understand where you’re coming from on this one, and I certainly feel your teenage pain. Mark is definitely "down" with that.

I can certainly see the inherent unfairness of a church trying to curb the numbers of holes you punch in your ears and various other parts of your body. Every time I hear a teenager lisping through a decorative stud driven through his or her tongue, I’m thankful we live in a free country where such self-mutilation is an inalienable right for all.

To aid in your plight, I’ve composed a brief letter for you, my teenage friends, to send to Church headquarters, to let them know exactly how we all feel on this important subject of self-expression ...

"Dear Oppressive Church Leaders:

"OK, I can see why we’re not supposed to drink and smoke. And I suppose I understand where you’re coming from with that whole premarital relations thing. Sort of. But body piercings and tattoos? Oh please. Unlike you, who blindly follow the pack by dressing and grooming the same way, we young people express our unique individuality by going out in flocks and getting nearly identical body piercings. What your people don’t seem to recall is that Jesus had long hair and wore sandals. He didn’t shop at Mr. Mac. He wouldn’t succumb to that trendy style of going by his first initial and middle name. ("Elder J. Heber Smith of the First Quorum of Conservative Uptight White Guys will now address the congregation ...") He was a rebel, just like us.

Let me know what kind of response you get.

In the meantime, I checked with the owners of Deja Vu, a body piercing/tattoo parlor in the Newgate Mall, to gauge the effect of the recent church pronouncements on business.

Mike Governale estimates about half of the body piercings his business does are for LDS folks -- of those, he guesses 20 percent are regular church-goers and another 30 percent attend, but only because parents make them.

Mike actually believes the recent flap will stimulate business at his shop.

"It’ll help us," he predicts. "The curiosity factor will bring more people in."

Truth be told, I’m more than a little curious myself. And just to show you young people how hip I am, I plan on getting an ear pierced, just as soon as I can get over my unreasonable fear of doing the wrong ear. (Was it, "Left is right, right is wrong," or "Right is right, left is wrong"?)

I might even get a tattoo, if I can find a design that I really like. Maybe the CTR shield, or even "Born to Home Teach" in large letters across one bicep.

But what I really want is what tattoo artist E.N. Voy has. He didn’t just pierce his ears, he parted them. Like the Red Sea. He’s got these funky rings through his ear lobes that stretch them wide open.

The holes are so big right now, you can pass a No. 2 pencil through them.

"Oh, more than that," he boasts. "I can get my whole finger through it."

Yeah, that’s just what I need. Another hole in my head.

And then I want my KISS albums back.

You can reach Mark Saal -- unless he’s been called before a church court -- at 625-4272 or msaal@standard.net. "

Am besten der SchluÃŸsatz ... "You can reach Mark Saal -- unless he’s been called before a church court..."