“I DON’T THINK SO. FIRST OF ALL, IT would add to the hanky-panky feeling of the pier and the mall, which are bad enough already. Secondly, it would attract even more low-lifes and gang members. Thirdly, kids might decide to try it, and look dreadful, to the dismay of their parents.”
“WE DON’T NEED TATTOO PLACES IN Santa Monica because we have enough in Venice. We already have a lot of sleazy people in Santa Monica — we don’t need more.”
“I DON’T THINK YOU SHOULD LET tattoo artists in the city of Santa Monica. Don’t do it.”
“I THINK THERE ARE ENOUGH HUMAN walking billboards around, so simply put, we don’t need any tattoo artists or parlors in Santa Monica.”
“A TATTOO ONCE MEANT SOMETHING: a rebel, a very resourceful loner. The rawness of being a tattoo bearer has been diluted by the mediocre wannabes in life. Maybe in the past, tattoo parlors fostered unsavory people, but with the 1,800 massage parlors in this town, how could they now be considered a problem? Actually, I’m surprised that the council has not rescinded the tattoo parlor ban, since they obsess with squeezing every dime from the public. Hey, how about putting a tattoo parlor in every massage parlor? You could get oiled and inked at the same time.”
“IN THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA, WHY not have a tattoo parlor? Personally, I am not for them, but I think if one wants to be progressive, let these tattoo artists come into the city.”
“TATTOOING IS NO LONGER ONLY THE artful body skin marking of the military’s death before dishonor, the hell’s angel’s mother, or the jailbirds. Now, the rich and famous have joined the skin art club, with every form of colorful, permanent skin markings. A while back, I dated a girl who had three cherry’s tattooed on her. But yes, tattoo salons are fine with me, considering all of the bad behavior that already takes place within the city’s boundaries.”
This past week, Q-line asked: A long-standing ordinance does not allow tattoo parlors to operate in Santa Monica. Do you think the city should allow tattoo artists to open up shop in this city by the sea? Here are your responses:
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 19, 2008. Read the original PDF.