Nitpicking, probably

Okay, so more on "feel-good story supreme" Josh Hamilton. Blah, blah, blah good for you. I hope you stay sober. I'm reading an article on his performance last night and the shit he's overcome.

 

I don't like how either the editorialist and/or Josh himself make his tattoos sound. They make it sound like tattoos are bad in and of themselves. That all tattoo parlours are Satan's gateways and filled with his drug-addled minions.

 

His parents followed him on the road early in his minor-league career until a car accident ended their journeys, which left Hamilton, injured himself, with down time and nothing to do. You know the rest: He hung out at a tattoo parlor, met the wrong folks, began drinking heavily, got hooked on dope.

 

Let's get something straight here:

 

I understand why Josh Hamilton is ashamed of the tattoos he has. He got them while he was high as a kite and they remind him of a very bad time in his life when he made some shit-poor decisions. He's tried to have them removed, but the process is too painful and/or apparently he has too many large tats.

 

Tattoos are not inherently bad things in and of themselves. Plenty of respectable people get tattoos these days. Tattoos are a way of expressing one's self and important things in your life. Historically speaking, tattoos were often done in religious or social ceremonies of many cultures.

 

I have a tattoo. Well, two, if you count the one I went over with the new one. I haven't done drugs a day in my life. The tattoo salon I went to was perfectly clean, sanitary and respectable. My tattoo isn't often visible unless I wear shorts. I'm a teacher and I really don't feel it needs to be on display all that often.

 

Hell - I was at a Catholic school and I KNOW of at least one male teacher who has several tats on his arms (a cross, admittedly, is one), which I saw when he was at the gym! And he's OLD.

 

Plenty of idiots will read what I read and think "1+1=THREE!!" Faulty logic.

 

Tattoos are NOT exclusive to druggies. A reputable salon will not even tattoo you if you appear to have impaired faculties for ANY reason.

 

If anything, Josh, use those tattoos and the shame you feel over them as a warning and reminder of what once happened to you and that you can not go back.