Sunday, May 21, 2006

The Tattoo Controversy

I already wrote about Star of David tattoos but since then I learned that this phenomenon is [1] growing and [2] becoming more and more controversial. People want to take part in the debate. Michael Lerner, 42, New York-born who made aliyah to Israel in 1985, has a Web site titled Tattoos are Not for Jews. Soon enough he got a letter from an angry opponent:

"Why should the Nazi's have been the last ones to make a statement regarding Jews and tattoos? I love my Star of David tattoo. It is much better than gold, which could be lost or stolen".

Marisa Carnesky, 32, is a British performance artist. She is heavily tattooed and pierced. She has a solo show titled Jewish Tattooess. 

So, my dear reader, where do you stand? Do you have a tattoo already? Is it in the shape of the Star of David; the shape that can tolerate two opposite sides of a hot argument without breaking down.

1 comment:

zeevveez said...

I have a Jewish friend by the name of Arnold who was called up after me and eventually posted to the Royal Warwickshire Rgt who were attached to the 3rd British Infantry Division.

His unit was given the objective of taking Caen and opening a corridor into Belgium and Holland... At Lingham in Germany they discovered a V2 Factory which they then destroyed and his unit finally finished up in Bremen.

Before going into action on D-Day Arnold had the Star of David tattooed onto his arm. As he and I work for the same Charity organisation I had previously noticed this tattoo and was curious as to its origin.

Arnold told me that the reason he had this done was that he fully expected to be killed in action and, in his words, wished it to be known that he had fought and died as a Jew.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/26/a4166426.shtml