en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/605723 Comments by BenRush http://www.thomasgemkow.com/209/a-sign-of-the-apocolypse/#IDComment27306738 Unfortuneatley you can not put a age limitation on self expression. Personally I experienced tragic things in my life at a young age, mainly losing my father.Many years later, at the age of 16, I personally felt that I would like to memorialize him with a tattoo, not because of any television shows, marketing strategies, or childhood toys, It was a personal choice that I felt confident enough to make. Within the legal guidelines set in place, minors are able to get tattooed, only with parental consent. Therefore, you are putting the ownership back on the parent/guardian. I feel that we live in place that is constantly trying to take the "blame" (for lack of a better term) away from parents. It seems as though our society is always trying to make everyone (except the parents) responsible for the children and anything that may happen to them. Instead of trying to "fix" everything else, invest that energy back into the family, and you are making some ground. In the end, parenting is the only way to ensure how our children turn out. Wed, 15 Jul 2009 02:43:23 +0000 http://www.thomasgemkow.com/209/a-sign-of-the-apocolypse/#IDComment27306738 http://www.thomasgemkow.com/209/a-sign-of-the-apocolypse/#IDComment27283189 It is just a toy, and should not be such a big deal. It is a parents job to shape and mold their children into upstanding adults and members of society. If a parent fails to do that, it is their fault, not the fault of a toy tattoo machine. I also take offense to the fact that you speak of tattooed individuals as if they are on a lower level in society than someone who has no tattoos. There are thousands of men and women in this country that make a very good lining from the tattoo industry. Many of these artists are parents, and tattooing is part of their daily lives. Tattooing allows them to provide for their families and give them a great life. Why wouldn't those individuals want to share that with their children the same way a Lawyer, Soldier, Business Manager, or Mechanic would? I don't see it as being any different than buying a kid, a toy Fireman kit, Doctor kit, or a toy tool set. Passing judgment on ones profession is an ignorant and closed minded thing to do, especially on a public forum. I may not personally buy this item for my children, but I support the idea and ability to do so. I respect and support the art and tattoo communities very much, and as a parent and tattoo collector I resent the overall tone of this article. I also find it funny that you mention smoking in this article, implying that the ramification of smoking and getting a tattoo are even in the same ballpark. All while supporting a product called the "Safe Cigarette".... I guess I expected more. Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:10:45 +0000 http://www.thomasgemkow.com/209/a-sign-of-the-apocolypse/#IDComment27283189