Everyone needs a little help now and then and it’s almost always the case that practically every day, one can go online and find some sort of charity or general helpfulness involving the tattoo community. I don’t know why exactly there is so much goodwill amongst the tattooed, but whatever bad image that the mainstream attributed to the tattooed once upon a time ago has repeatedly proven itself to be unfair and incorrect.
If you don’t believe me, well how about this bit of news from San Jose, California: starting this coming Tuesday, January 25th, any former gang members looking to turn their lives around and get rid of their gang tattoos are encouraged to join San Jose’s Clean Slate program. This program is looking for former gang members between the ages of 14-25 who are interested in having their gang related tattoos removed from their bodies. In exchange for this service, the participant must agree to make a commitment to Clean Slate’s educational, employment and community service programs. I’m not sure exactly what the “educational” program entails, but anyone interested in finding this as well as more information out about Clean Slate can get everything they need by calling 408.794.1660.
Okay, maybe this isn’t really provided by people in “the tattoo industry” and who knows, maybe the whole thing is just a cover for some kind of Jesus freak campaign designed to pile on the new recruits. It could very well be, but I prefer to think of this as a positive. To me it all seems like a great service that’s out there trying to help people who’ve made some bad choices in their lives. If even one person gets a new lease on life through this program, then I say it’s worth it. Everyone knows that getting tattooed can help a person deal with significant issues in their life or just make them feel better in general. Well, I guess Clean Slate is providing a way in which removal of tattoos can provide a similar method for people to feel better about themselves and their lives. Sometimes forgetting the past can be just as important as remembering it.
Good luck to all who try it out.