SC passed legislation this year allowing tattoo
parlors to operate in the state. I see this as a good
thing and long overdue. But as with anything, the
opponents simply moved their battle to the local
level.
In Kerhsaw County, one of the county councilmen, Gene
McCaskill, expressed his determination to see tattoo
parlors restricted in the county, and he was going to
use the zoning regulations to pull this off. Well,
this pissed off a lot of people including myself. His
pointed comments about "gang members" and "bikers"
probably wasn't very politic. So, I fired off this
letter to the Chronicle-Independent:
9/27/05
Dear editor,
I read with much amusement the news item in the Sept.
26 edition of the C-I, that Kershaw County Council is
considering a change to the zoning ordinances
concerning tattoo parlors. As anyone familiar with
county and city politics knows, zoning ordinances are
a favorite tool of petty tyrants to force their values
upon the wider populace for the sake of the "greater
good."
It makes me feel all warm inside to know that
Councilman Gene McCaskill is protecting our county
from the scourge of these tattoo parlors. We
undoubtedly would lose the favor of God Almighty and
descend into lawless anarchy and rampant disease if we
let Kershaw County residents enjoy the same privileges
as the rest of America and the free world. Plus, a
Sunday School teacher might get drunk and get a Celtic
cross etched across her derriere in a rare display of
individualism, and we can't have that.
Like it or not, people do things that we may not like
or agree with but harm no one at all. Yet, politicians
of Gene McCaskill's ilk pose a greater harm to our
liberties than "gang members" or the Trinity
Motorcycle Club. That's because McCaskill enjoys a
privilege that the outlaws don't. McCaskill has
political power combined with personal prejudice. He
can make you live by his rules.
I don't have a tattoo or care to have one. But I
believe in the right of anyone in this county to have
one or get one, and I believe in the right of
legitimate businesses to conduct their affairs with a
minimum of government interference. If this means that
people like McCaskill have to look at the inked skin
of another person and be horrified and offended, then
so be it.
As for "outlaws," ask yourself who has taken more of
your money, property, and liberty--bikers or
politicians? Folks, your government has done more to
decrease the quality of life here in Kershaw County
than any tattoo parlor ever will. I can confidently
predict that no one in Kershaw County will die or be
seriously injured or be deprived of personal property
from someone getting a tattoo. Politicians like Gene
McCaskill need to get a life.
Sincerely,
Charles Broadway
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