Memorial tattoo on 15 y/o female?

[UAF]

Althea wants a memorial tattoo--- whaddya folks think? She'll respect (most of) your opinions: you are fathers, brothers, sisters to her.
Her brothers weren't allowed to have tattoos until they were 18, but then, they weren't getting them in honor of our brothers and sisters.
Susan Bednar, in particular, how would you handle this?

---Ursula (FYI, we're in Chicago, not California now.)

[SilverCity4]

No tats in Oklahoma; you've got to drive to another state.

But don't you have to be 18 to get a tattoo by law anyway?

They're awfully permanent. Better be pretty sure you want to keep it the rest of your life. The removal processes that they have now remove the tattoo and all pigmentation in your skin, so if have a tattoo removed, you also get a permanent white spot.

My vote? Uh, no tat. Even if you can get one when you're 15.

[ 10-02-2001: Message edited by: Silver City 4 ]

[gah74]

Take the money she'd spend on the tatoo and send it to the 9-11 fund.

No tattoo for a 15 y/o.

If she still wants a memorial tattoo when she's 18, then go for it.

[ 10-02-2001: Message edited by: gah74 ]

[hctrouble25]

Althea...wait to get a tat..trust me on this. If you still want the same one next year then go get it...but wait a little while..at least a year. I got a tattoo in college and now I wish I had not gotten it. It still means something to me but not the way it used to and I am stuck with it permanently on my ankle. I am getting another tat in the near future but this one will be on my lower back where I can keep it hidden and I have wanted this tat for about 2 1/2 years now and have designed it myself. So make sure you are certain before you do it...they don't wash off...they hurt like hell...and in 5 years when you get ****ed off and quit the department you will have a permanent reminder of that on your body. Think about it. Life changes and you never know if what is important to you today will still be important to you tomorrow. You are only 15 and have PLENTY of time to get a tat later on. Whatever you decide good luck.

[NCRSQ751]

My first thought - too young.

My rational thought - try Henna.

Get a Henna tatoo like the 'real' one you want. They last for a while (weeks if not longer depending on the quality) but are not permanent. You can get a kit and do it yourself if you are artistic, or you can get them done by professionals.

If you look at http://thehennapeople.com/ they have kits that include color and they are giving $1 from every online sale to one of the victims funds.

This way you can try it out on different places on the body..try different designs etc. Then if you still want a real one at 18, you'll at least know what you're in for.

[ 10-02-2001: Message edited by: NCRSQ751 ]

[MFD]

Okay i relize I'm 19 so I'm probably not like most of you guys. But I say go for it. She could get a lot worst tattoos like 666 or weed leaf. I'd much rather see her with a maltese and below it saying remember our brothers and sisters in FDNY on 9-11-01. I thought about getting a Firefighting tattoo but I'm just scared i won't like it once it's done .

[FFsSignfOthr]

Here's an alternative. Get a pendant or ring. I bought a 14k gold maltese cross pendant from Dreamgold last year. I'm very happy with it and I get a lot of compliments on it. I checked a lot of places and found some poor quality stuff out there, but this one has wonderful detail. If you go to the site below you can see a sample at the bottom of the first screen. I asked for the one with the firefighter scramble in the middle, but with the words FIRE and RESCUE on it, and they had it. There are 60 more to choose from on the next page too.

When I talked to the guy, he said he had just gotten some new equipment that would allow him to customize the lettering for any department. I would assume that he could probably do some type of memorial too. The back on mine is polished gold, so it would also be easy to have engraved.
http://www.dreamgold.com/fire.html

(If you change your mind later, jewelry doesn't leave a scar when you remove it )

[Diane E]

You do for one, you do for all -- her brothers had to wait, so should she. Unless they feel differently.......

[Quint1Medic]

I vote "wait" also.

I like the henna idea. Before I got my tattoo - which I considered for close to two years - I drew it on my ankle with a Sharpie.
I'm still deciding what I want to do about a memorial tattoo. I'm pretty sure I'm going to get one, but I want to consider it first.

[NozzleHog]

If she still wants it on her 18th birthday, get in then. Until that time, why not show her support by raising money for the NYC Firefighter's Widows and Childrens Fund?
http://www.ufalocal94.org/

[ 10-03-2001: Message edited by: NozzleHog ]

[hazmat112]

Keep the memories of our fallen brothers and sisters alive in your heart, not on your arm.
Send the money to the relief efforts where it can do some good.
But, I do have to say that I think your heart is in the right place.

[Firebear230]

Have to agree with waiting. If she truely wants the tattoo now, she will still want it when she can legally get it.

[Wildfire]

Definitely wait. If you want to do an immediate tribute do it through a charitable cause. There are lots of ways to remember those who have gone and show that you care without a tattoo right now. Reverse the roles a little, if you were amongst those who have perished would you want some body to put on a tattoo to remember that??? I know I wouldn't.

[larrycook]

The best place to remember and honor the firefighters in something like this is in your heart and your memories.
Everyone that sees you will know that you care by your actions. You will not be remembered by what you look like but for what you have done. These are just my feelings. Every person that dies for his country is remembered by his pictures, but there will be stories told of his exploits forever. Never let the memories die. Larry

[MFDLtBock]

Hazmat112 said it best. The heart.. not the arm. Besides eventhough it's an honorable gesture to want a "memorial".. it's not a rational thing to do. When did a 15 year old ever want something that wasn't on "impulse"? My vote... wait.. donate the money.. and honor your friends and family while they are still here. We often wait until they are gone to honor them.