RON DAVIS -- Through My Eyes

Poor Huntington Beach’s Mother’s Market.

Mother’s started enforcing a policy requiring employees to cover

tattoos and, as a result, drew more ink -- articles in the Independent

and the Los Angeles Times -- than a plunger in a Montblanc.

According to the news articles, the local market responded to customer

complaints about tattoo-sporting employees by requiring employees to wear

long-sleeved shirts or tape to hide their tattoos. Everyone knows that

unhappy customers produce red ink, so according to the market’s president

they began enforcing a policy against displays of any skin-ink.

I’m probably more disturbed by those who complained to the store about

the tattooed employees than the response of the employer.

I’m concerned that those who would go to management to complain about

the colors on someone’s skin would also be disturbed about the color of

one’s skin.

As evidenced by the Mother’s policy, the character and ability of the

employee is not altered whether the tattoo is displayed or not. Having

their tattoos covered has not made those employees better employees or

employees with more character, just employees with long-sleeved shirts or

bandages. Shirts and bandages to hide our own intolerance.

I wonder whether those complaining wore lipstick, makeup, mascara,

painted fingernails or wore pierced earrings? Did a guy sporting hair

implants or a good dose of Grecian Formula express concern about the

employees with tattoos.

A tattoo is nothing more than a semi-permanent ink drawing -- the

owner’s individual art. That you don’t like the artwork is fine. That you

wouldn’t have a tattoo yourself is also fine. But to suggest to someone

that a tattoo disturbs you to the point that it requires covering is not

fine. What’s the harm to you?

* RON DAVIS is a private attorney who lives in Huntington Beach. He

can be reached by e-mail at o7 RDD@socal.rr.com.f7