Tattoos. One of the most controversial topics in today's society. Whether you are for them or against them 36% of Americans between the age of 18 and 29 have at least one tattoo. Now let me drop some facts about tattoos.

The United States has more than 20,000 tattoo parlors. This number grows by one every day.

30% of all college graduates in the United States have tattoos.

36% of military veterans and those that currently serve the Army in the United States have tattoos.

69% of people don't see people with tattoos anymore or less deviant than people without tattoos.

These statistics show that this generation consisting of college-aged students to working adults are using the art of body ink for expression. Although society has become more accepting of tattoos, they are still looked at as "criminal", "rebellious" or "stupid." But how can a society who is all about letting people have freedom of speech and expression judge someone for having a meaningful tattoo on their body? Yes, I know some tattoos might not have meaning or maybe it was someone's drunken mistake but if it's not your body why should you care what's on it? Tattoos have been used for over a thousand years, and in the past decade they have been become especially popular. This makes me wonder what makes tattoos so bad. A tattoo is an expression of one's self, not a mark of criminal acts or act of rebellion, but society still sees it that way.

Harlee Toothman

Thomas Edison, Teddy Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill were all among some of America's most well-known leaders with tattoos on their bodies. Does this change your opinion at all? These men were still able to be successful with tattoos and make history so why can't all of us? Some of the greatest and most successful people I know have ink on their body.

Additionally, the presence of tattoos should not hinder the ability to find a job, because they do not hinder work performance.The problem is not with the person who has a tattoo, but with the person who feels they cannot trust them to do a good job because of it. How is a tattoo going to hinder any sale or design or whatever aspect of work the person is doing? There is a doctor who comes into my work frequently dressed in his scrubs who has tattoos sleeves on both of his arms. I never thought once that his tattoos were going to hinder his ability to save a life. He even has two young sons who will grow up knowing their dad has tattoos… and who cares?

I for one have three small tattoos (sorry grandma) and all of them are easily hide-able. But some of my friends have multiple tattoos that might not be so easy to hide and that's okay too. They all have jobs and success in their own ways.

Harlee Toothman

I won't even begin to get on the subject of what the religious conations with tattoos are. I have been preached 1,847,597 times about how it says in The Bible not to mark your body, but 1 Samuel 16:7 says that man looks on the outward appearance while the Lord looks in the heart.

Nowadays, tattoos are done for an array of different reasons. The meaning of them lies in the soul of whoever is deciding to get it on their body. Whether that be a reminder, a saying, or a symbol; tattoos are art. So who are you to judge someone else for having them?