"Green Up" Revision

Transcript

Q. Why did you decide to get this tattoo?

Answer: I decided to get this tattoo because a group of my part’nahs was rappers and they had this label called Green up Ent. Since we were all so close and on the same mission to get money and see better days I got the tattoo to support the movement they were on and become a part of something that might be great.

Q. When did you get the tattoo?

Answer: I got the tattoo when I was 15. I rode my bike to a tattoo polar near my house on imperial and main and got Green Up on the left side of my hand for about 40 dollars

Q. How old were you when you got the tattoo?

Answer: I was 15

Q: How old were your friends that was in this group “Green up Ent”

Answer: everyone was grown in their twenties or above.

Q: Were you peer pressured into getting the tattoo?

Answer: No I was not peer pressured because I went and got the tattoo myself. on my own, it was something I wanted to do

Q. 15 getting at tattoo, you were still a minor… Were your parents upset?

A: Yes, my mom was very upset but my father didn’t find out until I was 18 and by than he couldn’t even get mad about it.

Q. What does it mean to you?

Answer:  It means me supporting my friends and getting money by any means

Q. What is the significance of your tattoo?

Answer: To show loyalty and that I stand for this group.

Q. Does your tattoo reflect the person you are?

Answer: No not at all, but the reason why I got it does to always support my friends.

Q. Are you religious? If so, what is your religion?

Answer: Yes I am Christian, but around the time I got my tattoo I was not.

Q. Does your tattoo conflict with your religious beliefs?

Answer: Yes they do, but like I said earlier at first I wasn’t religious so the tattoo didn’t conflict with anything I believed in.

Q. How does your tattoo conflict with your religion?

A.  What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 1Corinthians 6:19 it’s a sin in my religion. My body is a temple

Q. Why did you get the tattoo in that particular place?

Answer: It’s the place every one of the group has it at. It’s just the designated spot for everyone to see the left side of the hand.

Q: Does this tattoo give you the urge to want to get more tattoos?

Answer: Yes it does, but I will not get any more tattoos because of my religious beliefs now.

Q. What is others reaction to your tattoo?

Answer:  Why you get that on your hand? , Its gone be hard to get a job! Everyone says that when they see the tattoo on my hand and especially when it’s the only one I have.

Q. Do you have any regrets of your tattoo?

Answer: I have no regrets.

Q. Do you think your tattoo will affect your future job opportunities?

Answer: No it will not

What know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own. – 1 Corinthians 6:19

                                         

Most tattoos often are portrayed as a negative thing, because of the stereotypical views. Although tattoos are against my religious beliefs, I still don’t have the power to judge someone with tattoos. I believe that my body is a temple and also that it belongs to God, so I have no right to put anything on it that’s contrary to my bible. I don’t judge or look down on people for what they believe, because God is the only one who can judge. But that doesn’t mean that I condone or agree with someone when they get a tattoo. I don’t agree with a person who gets a tattoo and say that they are christian and believe that they’re body is a temple, because if so, they would not have gotten the tattoo. You can’t get a tattoo and because you have a meaningful story behind it, it automatically makes the tattoo acceptable, a meaningful story or a person who was very close to you doesn’t justify the fact that you’re not suppose to scar your body. I look at it as a person who puts graffity on the wall, it might be for a good cause and saying a inspirational message, but it’s still against the law and considered as vandalism doesn’t matter what it says or the reason behind it.  

When I first saw that tattoo I thought it was just some tattoo on the side of his hand, maybe a design or something. When I saw the word “Green  Up” I immediately thought a typical gang member that robs people to get money. I also thought the tattoo was maybe the name of an actual gang. I thought to myself that it’s not good to judge this person based on the tattoo that they have. But it’s pretty clear that it has to do with getting money.

“It means me supporting my friends and getting money by any means”

The interviewee explains that he got the tattoo when he was around the age of fifteen. The tattoo symbolized a label called “Green Up”. The group stood for getting money and “seeing better days”. The guys that were a part of this group were well in their twenties and over, so I thought that for him being so young he was peer pressured into getting the tattoo and becoming a “Green Up” member. “No I was not peer pressured I went and got the tattoo myself, it was something I wanted to do”. To him this tattoo was a sign of loyalty to his group and it also meant supporting his friend’s movement. The tattoo does not reflect the person who he is or was. He is now nineteen and he doesn’t regret the tattoo because at the time it meant something to him, but he will never get another one because it is against his religious beliefs. I asked the interviewee how the tattoo conflicts with his religious beliefs and he quotes 1 Corinthians 6:19 –What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own.” Meaning that your body is sacred and belongs to God, you have no right to put markings on it.

“Why you get that on your hand? It’s gone be hard to get a job”

This is the reaction he got from people who saw the tattoo on his hand. This is the way it is in society, having tattoos makes it more complicated for you to get a high standard job. The interviewee is a college student pursuing his degree in business and planning to become an entrepreneur; although he got the tattoo when he was younger and it’s now fading away, he still gets the same reaction from when he first got it. His actual tattoo is barely noticeable and he is a completely different person from when he first got the tattoo, but still deals with the stereotypes and people judging him for his past decisions.

 Societal views on tattoos conflicts with some cultural beliefs because in some cultures tattoos are a tradition, as in the Samoan race, there is a particular tattoo a boy has to get when he is fifteen as a sign of coming into manhood; not getting this tattoo because of how it might affect him getting a job in the future would go against his cultural beliefs. As mentioned earlier I respect people who get tattoos, but I don’t agree with the decision.

So Industrial Revised

"I decided on getting this piercing because I like how it looks and I can remove it easily unlike a tattoo that would permanently be on my body"

This is my cousin Natalie. I haven't seen her in a while, maybe Easter? She never seemed like the type to do anything too extreme. She has a belly and tongue piercing, stuff a girl usually wants. But the industrial piercing seemed weird and a little extreme to me. I just thought it was a fashion statement or something. When I initially saw the giant, pink rod with a heart across her tiny left ear, I could only think why? What's the point of that thing? You're not punk. But she does go to some extremes to see someone like 3 hours away from her and hides it from her parents somehow and who knows how much more she does, there is really no one else that would do it in my family but her.

"I decided on getting this piercing because I like how it looks and I can remove it easily unlike a tattoo, it would be o my body permanently. I have had it for 4 days now. (then, now probably like 3,4 weeks?) I don't regret getting it done even though it has caused some mild ear pain and light headaches. I chose this specific earring because i liked the heart in the center of the bar. There is really no significance why I got it. I don't feel rebellious for getting the piercing, but my parents think I am, they didn't know I was getting it."

Punks were the immediate fashion I thought of when I first saw the piercing. They're the group that does weird things, bunch of piercings, dark clothes and tattoos. But she is not in that crowd. She is a 4'11 girl that just dresses the way she wants. Employers will probably see the piercing as rebellious, or whatever they think about piercings. But luckily for her she can "remove it easily unlike a tattoo that would permanently be on [her] body". Work for her will be interesting. It will all depend on what the employer thinks and whether or not she's wearing the piercing.

So she pretty much got the piercing because she thought it would look good on her. People will think differently about it and her, but then realize she's a tiny, quiet person that will just laugh at whatever you say. I guess she looks, "good", but all that matters is if she is proud of her decisions. The point pretty much of her piercing is, I don't know, if you think it's a good idea do it. Just don't regret it.

I just live for what I love Revised

About the tattoo

Marta Aguirre is a 34 year old women who have just gone through a divorce putting her and her 4 kids without a roof on their head.

A year ago Marta was found herself between the hands of her husband until one phone call from her oldest daughter to the police ended all. Marta never worked before and now she had to support her 4 kids ages 11, 9, 8 and 5. It was very difficult for her to play the role of both parents for her kids, but regardless of of the situation she was able to keep food on the table and roof over their heads. 

“At times I felt like I couldn’t continue with

the struggle, and my family turned away

from me when I needed them the most”

 This led to depression and when she found out she couldn't continue to move forward and provide for her children she realized that she had to continue to live for one reason and one reason only; for those who needed her the most, her kids. Marta then got a tattoo written

“I just live for what I love” 

Copyrights 2013 • On the Wings of a Dove

with 5 doves flying across her arm. Four of them representing each of her children and the last one was herself. She explains that the tattoo is a reminder that she most continue to move forwards with her leading her kids into a better future day to day. And though there were times where she found herself hotels, getting free refills from McDonald’s, asking for air at the Salvation Army, she still keeps to keep her head held high to improve and provide for her kids. Now, Marta is now renting a stable location and building her home from bottom up. Marta mentions that her parents nor her siblings approved her divorce nor her tattoo, but they do not understand what she went through and the situation that she was in. 

©Antonio D. Torres. 2014

Assumptions and Society

When I first met Marta I automatically assumed that the tattoo she had was due to a rebellious part of her life. Throughout her divorce, I knew that she was going through some changes in her life. Within those changes was the style of music. After her divorce she began listening to hard metal, rock, and some other depressing genres. Since that was the only background information I had about her, I automatically assumed that this rebellious part of her life complimentary to her style of music. I was completely wrong. Some factors that made me believe this way include the way I was raised; 

“(…) tattoos look bad and they are unprofessional”

what society thinks, 

Pareces un cholo con tanto tatuaje. 

¡No sabía que mis rayas tenían que gustarle!

(You look like a gangster with all those tattoos. I didn’t know you where supposed to like my scribbles.)

-El de los Lentes Carrera. Revolver Cannabis. Del Records LLC, 2013. iTunes.

Dime con quien andas y te diré quien eres.

(Tell me who your friends re and I’ll tell you who you are.)

-Anzaldua, Gloria. "How to tame a wild tongue."  Borderlands. : Aunt Lute Books; 4 edition, 2012.  Print.

and what we see on television

“Tattoos make you look good”

That is where my presumption was coming from. When Marta got her tattoo she knew there were going to be some challenges and that society would not see her the same. She mentions that she still has bad experiences with people. 

“When I go pick you my kids other parents

tend to keep their own kids away from me.

But come on, I’m the friendliest person

you’ll ever meet!” 

Her story is one of many others that still faces due to her tattoo, however she has an assumption due to the fact that an event in her life impacted her the most. 

“I feel like society, religion, and politics are so

focused on criticizing people with tattoos

instead of creating world peace, feed the hungry

and shelter the poor and homeless. Like me.”

Is she wrong?

In addition, she mentions that we still have some people who still haven't face the fact that we now live on the 21st century, where we have much more freedom of expressing ourselves in many ways we wish without harming others. She closed the interview by saying :

“It is impossible to change how people think about tattoos,

but we can definitely explain to them that we

ARE NOT harming anyone.

We are simply expressing ourselves and we

should focus on bigger problems our society is facing.”

Resources for the interview:

 The Interview was recorded via voice in Spanish, however if you'd like the translated scrip of the interview please click here.

All images used in this assignment are Copyright of Antonio D. Torres. 2014©. To view consent and release form please click here. To view the release for in Spanish click here.

Cancer Sucks revised

I saw it on Instagram it was a small tattoo, on the side of her ribs. It said “through every dark night there is a brighter day.” Mimi has what I like to call the typical girl tattoo. She had all the symptoms. Cheesy quote. Check. Cheap calligraphy. Check. It’s on her ribs. Check. There was no reason for her to get a tattoo. Her only motivation was she had money and an afternoon to waste. It was a waste of money but people would say “you only live once, right? It’s my body I’ll do what I want with it.”  That didn’t set well with me because I was raised in a Christian family, and tattoos are forbidden. They are seen as rebellions, sinful and a disconnection to God. 

My first impression of my friend Mimi is that she looked like she cared too much about herself. She seemed like the kind of girl that wouldn’t leave the house without having her makeup done. She needs to have her high heels and skirt or else she would need to stay in the house. She dressed like she would fit in with the plastics from the movie Mean Girls. Her appearance was not an adequate representation of herself. She is the complete opposite; Mimi’s a person who doesn’t take herself too seriously. After I got to meet her I realized Mimi is a kind person, she had a positive vibe.

A specific verse in Leviticus 19:28 says “Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord” It is very clear that God is against tattoos. In the time the book of Leviticus was written, tattoos were a pagan practice. So it was viewed as worshiping another God.  It is one of the fundamental beliefs that God comes first. Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.” Also in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 it says "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body." This verse is about how respecting you body and how that actually means respecting God. It is a sign of respect to God since he gave his son, Jesus. Putting tattoo on your body is the equivalent to parents working everyday to pay for college and the student slacks off and fails every class.

Mimi understood this because she is also Christian; the old school Christians thought something must be wrong with her. She must be leaving the Christian way of life; they judged her before they knew her story. When people think of tattoos the first thing that comes to mind is gang members, alcohol, and past relationships. They quickly jumped to conclusions; they thought their perfect little angel was rebelling. At first I didn’t understand why she would get a tattoo; she seemed like the perfect Christian girl. She had it all a happy life, supporting family, and she was healthy.

“I’m trying to recuperate from my mother’s death. Every night is a struggle, seeing that reminds me it’s going to get better the next day.”

They didn’t understand she was going through hell. She put up a front, but on the inside she was slowly dying. She told me her mother, Benny, died from cancer. I quickly put the pieces of the puzzle together; Mimi was diagnosed with cancer last year. She has been in and out of the hospital. Her motivation was to be like her mother, a fighter. Seeing a picture of her mother reminded her to keep trying to get better and do everything to be happy. So she tattooed something her mother used to say “through every dark night, there is a brighter day.” Her mom is a big part of her life.

Just how I judged Mimi when I first met her I judged her tattoo. I was wrong twice; I can say I’ve learned not to be so judgmental. I now have reconsidered what the verses mean; I think God is more focused about our heart than our body. Our souls go to heaven not our bodies.

In Loving Memory (REVISED)

Original

New

    "Our society has grown to be one that has seen people from only one perspective. What is meant by seeing people from one perspective is the fact that we have become people who tend to judge others from one particular viewpoint. Nowadays if we see a punk kid walking down the street we think right away that she or he is crazy. However we personally don't know them and what they have been through so we shouldn't come to the conclusion that they are simultaneously crazy."

           Imagine meeting a short blonde girl with a wife beater with tattoos on both arms and shorts that go all the way passed her knees. Karen Lipczynski is the most kind-hearted person you will ever meet. I still remember my first day working at McDonald's and seeing this punk-dressed short lady walking in and automatically I thought to myself, "Who is this crazy person?"  This explains the mind set  that everyone always comes to and the judgemental beings we are. After working with her for more than a year I have gotten to know her and the obstacles she had to overcome in past years.  She would always give me an insight on her life growing up. Karen would always tell me about her dark past such as her trouble with battling her addiction with drugs, attending a High School located in a bad neighborhood to having a rough time living at home.

             While attending High School she didn't really have that many friends. Until one day she met a girl named Mandie who would change her life forever. Mandie would always take the initiative to find time to hang out with her and get to know her personally. By the time Karen was seventeen Mandie passed away due to a blood clot that trapped to her heart in her sleep. To honor Mandie Karen decided to get a tattoo that quoted Angelina Jolie in their favorite movie Girl Interrupted. Karen then stated, "There's a scene where one stiff upper crusted women is pointing at one of the girls and Angelina Jolie tweaks her finger back and says 'you don't point your fucking finger at crazy people' and that was Mandie's kind of thing for me because she was a bit normal looking and I was the punk kid in High School so she was always  like no one fucks with you when I'm around."

             My initial assumption of the tattoo was that it was probably one of those tattoos that people get just because it was cool. At first sight  I Thought  that the purpose of the tattoo was to honor an important character that played a huge part to the person Karen  is today. There are many assumptions that our society comes up with when the topic of tattoos is brought up in a conversation. Many of those assumptions include that it is a way of rebelling, sense of freedom, way of expression and even a way of referring to criminal history and cultural and religious practices. Different connotations and denotations often influence our opinions about specific tattoos. Media often plays an important role in influencing our opinions about certain items such as the topic of tattoos. However in this particular case I believe that Karen's tattoo has reinforced my pre-assumptions of positivity. This particular tattoo was made to commemorate a person that played a huge role into shaping the person Karen is today.

Tattoos... Huh? Revision

Take a moment to play the song.... and ask your self, what type of genre does it relate to. A Gang Banger?

HIM 

Venus Doom

Pacal

Mestiza

Mayan Serpant

LA California

The XX



         I never had any problems with tattoos growing up. The only people that i knew had tattoos were my uncle’s. They weren't bad people. They all had happy lives beings bakers. They never did anything bad. So i never assumed tattoos were bad, the only bad there was to a tattoo was to whom they were affiliated to, for example gang bangers. I never thought of the tattoos saying they were bad people, just the actions of these people were bad so I never participated in any gang events. These tattoos just tell stories, they don't make you bad. My friend Wilbert is an example how tattoos don't make some one bad, but a story book. 

         Wilbert is hardcore about his culture. A proud Mayan by stating "I am VERY ,VERY proud of being Mayan", equally emphasizing on both "very's". When you see Wilbert you see this guy with skinny jeans , tight shirts, you know how most rockers look like. Any other person would see him as a pot head but theres more to it then that. He has embedded himself into the roots of his culture and his love for music. At the age of 23 he has a total of 8 tattoos and doesn't plan on stopping. Having the HIM heartagram which is basically a heart with a triangle inside it, inside a circle, located on his wrist, he dedicates it to being one of his favorite bands, on top of that you would see his Venus Doom tattoo, an album of HIM. 

When some one has TWO tattoos of a single band that just comes to show he LOVES this band because the lead singer has such a unique tone in his voice. Another band tattoo that he has is The XX on his tricep because of the uniqueness of their beat is what he loves. Now I don't know much about them but that's a pretty big tattoo which is a big “X” with plenty of roses inside of which is still incomplete because he needs to put the color in the roses, which is equally as loved as HIM. 

         He has a tattoo of the state of California with an LA symbol on his bicep because thats the only place he knows, where he spent his childhood and adult life. Why does he have it there? He told me , "I like to show it off". I mean I guess if you like showing your guns you might as well show where you're from, right? He has the Mestiza to represent his Yucatan culture which is a face of a woman in a skeleton type of face paint located on his fore arm and this being his most recent tattoo "This is what I hate, taking care of it" as you can see its peeling. His last two on his arm represent the Mayan side of him, both tell stories on the ancient Mayan times. One being the face of Pacal, just picture a mayans side face which is the last Mayan emperor which he likes to show that he is a leader, the leader of his family him being the one in charge of his sisters because their parents don't live with them. The other one being the Mayan Serpent in a hieroglyphic style which tells the story of men cutting the tip of their tongue and putting copal on it and would start hallucinating and see this serpent that would give them words of wisdom which he relates to himself having to always take decisions for the fate of his family. He got these cultural tattoos because his family is from Yucatan, so he wanted to express that on him with the Mestiza. He found the way to express his Mayan inner self by getting the Serpent and Pacal.

 When I first saw his tattoos I was nothing but curious to find out what they meant. The most visible ones being that of HIM I assumed they were all related to bands. I was wrong though. Most of them expressed who he was. The Mestiza show the Yucatan side of his family and the Mayan art showing his deep love for that culture. Wilbert is the type of person that if you don't like his tattoos, he just wont give a fuck about your opinion, unless if its a compliment to his tattoos. He states "there's a negative taboo for tattoos" yet he still has a lot and wanting more and more. 

Society makes the assumption that if you have a tattoo you're automatically a bad person, not fit for society. Like I said, Wilbert doesn't really care what society thinks, I mean he runs his own clothing shop, he's a BOSS. If any other person would see him one would think he's a gang banger but really he isn't, the guy just loves to express wheres he's from! (Term not to be confused with the famous gang saying.) Society sees him as bad, I see him as any other person in this world being comfortable with whom he is.

       
As you listen to the song ( The XX-Do You Mind) do you imagine a hostile environment, or a peaceful setting. Wilbert has this band tattooed on his tricep not to show he's a gang banger, not to show he does drugs, but to express what he likes. One thinks of heavy metal rock being affiliated to tattoos and thats it. When in reality its their assumptions that get the best of them. 

Just An Ordinary Tattoo ( REVISED)

A permanent marking on someone’s back. It is 5 inches in length and width. It has no color besides the dullness of black upon her brown skin. The style of the letters is not unique besides the “J” and the “Y” which appears to be done in cursive. The rest of the letters are normal. A very strange looking rose underneath the name “Jenny”. Last but not least, two “sparkles” that surround the name “Jenny” on both sides.

            My mom got her first and only tattoo at the age of 22.  Her tattoo is a rose with her nickname “Jenny” above it. As I observed her tattoo I asked the most common question in the world of tattoos. What does it mean? I expected a mind blowing response since tattoos are permanent and you want to make it meaningful. “I like roses and people call me Jenny rather than my real name.” To be sure that was it I had to ask, “Is that it?!” My mother with a straight face responded that’s it.  She got a tattoo on her favorite flower and her nickname. I always assumed people got tattoos that symbolize something significant or meaningful to them, but this was the first time I heard someone got a tattoo because they wanted one, but had no real meaning behind it. The one thing I did find interesting was the placement of her tattoo. She placed her tattoo behind her shoulder and she states she put it there because she can choose whether or not she wants to show it to everyone else. However something that I found fascinating and true was how she pointed out tattoos are marks on your bodies that people use to point you out. It becomes a permanent symbol that can be used to describe you. It makes you stand out from a crowd and that can be good and bad. I also found interesting was how she chose to leave it with black ink rather than to color the rose. She did not want to endure more pain so she left it plain like the meaning of her tattoo. The tattoo itself only took two hours but she advised me if I do decide to get a tattoo it is going to hurt a lot. My mom was away from her parents and when she finally visited them after two years they too spotted the tattoo. My grandma asked why she got a tattoo and she said she wanted one but she will not get another because of the pain. My grandma expected the tattoo since my mom worked in a store that sold the ink and that was what influenced her decision in getting a tattoo. Everyone who she was close with asked the same question as my grandma but they all accepted it in the end.

            Tattoos do not always have a deep meaning behind them. My mother in my eyes is one of those people who does not do things without having a good reason behind it. When I first spotted the tattoo I was anxious to hear why she did it. “I see tattoos as an art form and I wanted one at a point in my life so I did.” That was a bit surprising to hear from my mom. My mom always told me do not get a tattoo simply because she knows how people judge this form of art. As I questioned for the first time her tattoo I realized some things. My mom actually does not mind if I got a tattoo and her tattoo has the most basic meaning ever.

 I see tattoos as freedom of expression. However, when I say freedom of expression I usually expect something with meaning. I had the mentality of if you get something that’s going to be permanent make sure it has a good meaning so in the long run you won’t ever have to regret it. Everyone I have ever asked about their tattoos have told me something that gave meaning and worth to their tattoo except my mom. My mother’s tattoo didn't symbolize a memory or an event, nor did it tell a story. Seeing a rose I thought of love right away. I tried associating that to my mom but I was wrong. I couldn't understand why she would go through such pain to leave the tattoo incomplete and without real meaning. I learned that sometimes tattoos represent what it shows. I’m so accustomed to seeing a tattoo and right away thinking it’s some kind of puzzle that shows some kind of meaning to the wearer. My mom is from a Mexican culture where if you get a tattoo it is usually skulls, a spiritual icon, girls, or some kind of gangster image. When you see my mom’s tattoo I think you can’t really say she’s one of those bad people that like tattoos as society usually portraits people who like tattoos. Apart from that she’s one of the few that just considered drawing on her body. I believe that since I don’t have an interest in tattoos, I demand a meaningful response on what someone’s tattoo means. While someone who enjoys tattoos can tattoo something and enjoy it because it is what they love.  Being quick to judge can sometimes throw you off the real meaning of a tattoo. Some people just enjoy the art and that’s why I failed to understand my mom’s reason for getting a tattoo. It is like painting on a paper only you wear the art permanently on your body.