It’s time again for the weekly news round up. This week we’re going to get started with a story that a lot of people sent in. Before I get into it I want to remind people that the person involved in the story is friends with many ModBlog readers and as it stands is currently being charged with a crime, he has not been convicted. The reason I bring this up is because of the nature of the reporting surrounding this story. As some of you know by now, Caius has been charged with homicide and is currently awaiting a trial. He is best known for his large array of heavy facial modifications, and as such the media is latching on to this. What shouldn’t come as a surprise is how the media is handling the story. Reactions have been mixed. Agencies like ABC news touch briefly on his modifications (while using his photo to garner attention), while other outlets like The Sun are completely ignoring facts and just making assumptions based on photos. Here’s what ABC News had to say:
A ranking Hells Angels member in western Massachusetts and two acquaintances charged in a triple murder killed one of the victims to prevent him from testifying in a kidnapping and assault trial and killed the other two men to eliminate witnesses, according to a police report released Monday. The probable cause report by Massachusetts State Police describes how Adam Lee Hall, 34, the reputed sergeant at arms of the Berkshire County chapter of the Hells Angels, allegedly was involved in a dispute over an automobile part in 2009 that escalated into a series of criminal acts that ended with the killings of the three men. Their bodies were found buried in an undisclosed location in the county Saturday. Hall and his two associates, David Chalue, 44, and Caius Veiovis, 31, entered not guilty pleas to murder, kidnapping and other charges and were ordered held without bail during their arraignments in District Court in Pittsfield on Monday. They’re set to return to court Oct. 12.
Witnesses told state police that before the three victims went missing, Hall was talking about how Glasser had to “disappear” before the trial, and that after the abductions Hall said something about “when the three men were taken,” the report says. State police also said witnesses saw a man fitting Hall’s description tossing shoes, clothing and other items off a bridge in nearby Lenox just minutes after authorities entered Glasser’s apartment looking for the missing men. One of those witnesses later identified Hall from a photo array, police said. Police also said tests on the inside of Veiovis’ vehicle came up positive for the presence of blood, although whose blood isn’t clear.
Lawyers for Chalue and Veiovis, who is also known as Roy Gutfinski, declined to comment on the allegations. Many questions remain unanswered. District Attorney David Capeless declined to say where exactly the bodies were found, how the three men died and how Hall, Chalue and Veiovis knew each other. Authorities have said they don’t believe Chalue and Veiovis were members of the Hells Angels.
So as you can see, with the exception of the photo, Caius is only mentioned as being arrested based off evidence found in his car, and that he isn’t a member of the Hells Angels. Now, we flip over to another “news” agency, The Sun, and see what they had to say about the story. Keep in mind they only information both news agencies have is based off the arrest record and mug shots.
With a sinister ’666′ emblazoned across his forehead and horn implants sticking out of his head, this murder suspect poses for one of the most frightening mugshots ever. Caius Veiovis’ chilling face also includes spiked nose piercings and angry tattoos across his body. The heavily-pierced Satanist changed his name from Roy Gutfinski to Caius Veiovis with Veiovis a god of the underworld and Caius a character in the Twilight saga.
Yep, he’s a twilight vampire. There are other stories floating about claiming that he’s actually a member of the Hell’s Angels, as well as several other outlandish claims, and yet in all of those stories he’s being judged not based on any evidence, but simply because he has modified himself to appear the way he wants to. It seems that for every step forward towards acceptance we take, someone is there to push us back. Think back to a few months ago when Lady Gaga debuted a music video featuring Zombie Boy and dancers with fake facial implants. Nobody had a problem with that, and she was applauded by the media for tackling issues of acceptance. Fast forward to today when someone who looks different than others has already been found guilty by the media simply for looking different.
Thankfully this isn’t the only story this week, so I won’t dwell on it any further. Keep on reading to check out the rest of the news, including a fantastic interview with Ottawa artist Glen Paradis.
While parts of the world are demonizing them, other parts are celebrating modifications. The Ripley’s Believe It or Not wax museum has invited Maria Jose Cristerna, Mexico’s “Vampire Woman” to be their newest wax figure.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! took body casts of Maria Jose Cristerna, known as the Mexican Vampire Woman, on Friday. Cisterna has titanium implants that serve as horns. She also has fangs, piercings and tattoos. She said she made the transformation after a period of domestic violence. Ripley’s will create a wax figure of Cisterna.
While I wasn’t able to link photos, the article above has an interview with Maria where she talks about what modifications she has, what she plans on getting, and the meanings behind it all.
Tattoo artists in Phoenix, AZ are upset over a proposed new tax that is being billed as a “Sin Tax” which specifically targets tattoo studios and strip clubs.
The Phoenix Food Tax left a bad taste in many people’s mouths. It generated $28-million extra for the city, but the added tax was unwelcome with people struggling to stay afloat in the down economy. That tax runs out in 2015, and leaders are already looking at other options. One of them could include a so-called “sin tax.” Right now it’s just an idea being looked into by the Phoenix City Council. The idea is to raise extra revenue for the city if the food tax expires by taxing things like strip clubs and tattoo parlors. As you can imagine, tattoo artists in Phoenix are hoping this sin tax doesn’t go through.
At 27 Tattoo Studio in downtown Phoenix, tattoo artist Mark Mayhem has built up a loyal clientele. He worries what would happen at tattoo parlors around the city if the so-called “sin tax” is passed. “As to be expected from an artist, I really feel like it’s going to hurt some of our business,” he says. Mayhem says the idea of taxing something like a tattoo is going too far, and that it shouldn’t be lumped together with strip clubs and other vices that could be taxed. “I’m an artist. That would be like taxing painters or authors. But, I hope it doesn’t go through.”
I’m kind of curious as to how a tax on strip clubs will work. Does it apply to lap dances only or will giving a tip require the dancer to stop and calculate the tax added to it?
Today’s final story is one that’s a lot more positive than the one we started with today. Glen Paradis, an Ottawa tattoo artist, recently did an interview with The Ottawa Citizen. There was no sensationalism, no hype, just a great interview with one of the country’s finest artists.
These are three things that many people look for in a tattoo: good, fast and cheap. Glen Paradis says he can deliver any two, but at the exclusion of the third. You want good and fast? It won’t be cheap. You want fast and cheap? It won’t be any good. And if you want, say, a tattoo of a huge spider on your face, he suggests you go elsewhere.
The 41-year-old tattoo artist has spent the last decade at New Moon Tattoo — he’s currently at their Orléans location — where he’s become so good that clients can expect to wait up to seven months for him to stick needles loaded with indelible ink into their skin. He compares the loyalty of his customers to that of car owners who return repeatedly to a good auto mechanic.
For the first while he only tattooed grapefruits, practising drawing straight lines, circles, corners, squares and maple leafs on the soft, round fruit, learning to complete designs with just one or two passes of the needle thus keeping any possible damage to the skin to a minimum. From there it was a matter of finding a friend who would let him try his first tattoo on skin. “My buddy Andre let me do three Chinese characters on him. I was a nervous wreck.” For the next couple of months, Paradis tattooed nothing larger than a toonie, working on getting good before trying anything large. “If you jump into something too big, you make mistakes.”
And while doing a complete and original body tattoo — he’s done several full backs, legs and sleeves, but no full bodies — is near the top of his bucket list, he says he’s equally happy doing the profession’s bread-and-butter designs: the hearts, wings, Celtic crosses, roses, stars and tribal motifs. “There’s nothing I hate doing. You want something that’s been done a million times before? I’m going to do it in a million-and-one different ways. You want a rose? Let’s make it fantastic. You want a ladybug? Let’s make it look real. “I just love tattooing. I get to do this every day. I draw every day. I see fantastic people from all over the place and I get to come to work dressed like an 18-year-old kid, listen to music and have a blast.
“I’m going to do this until I die.”
So that’s it for this week’s news. As always, if you find an article that you think should be included. Just send me an e-mail.
Other than that, have a great weekend everyone!
Comments
213 responses to “ModBlog News of the Week: September 16th, 2011”
Yeah, wow tooki, that was really going out on a limb! Sure, the Sun is horrible, and there are horrible newspapers in Europe too, but come on! There is a difference between tabloid newspapers and serious newspapers, but I can assure you that in for example Sweden, where I live, the serious newspapers are at the VERY least as ethical as American newspapers.
@tooki “ethics of american media”? Really?
@tooki “ethics of american media”? Really?
@tooki “ethics of american media”? Really?
So, I’m checking young Caius’ facial runes, trying to figure out what he’s rocking there. Looks like [fehu/othala/ansuz/dagaz], the runes for F-O-A-D. So, the world’s most esoteric Fuck Off And Die tat?
Points for originality, I guess…
So, I’m checking young Caius’ facial runes, trying to figure out what he’s rocking there. Looks like [fehu/othala/ansuz/dagaz], the runes for F-O-A-D. So, the world’s most esoteric Fuck Off And Die tat?
Points for originality, I guess…
So, I’m checking young Caius’ facial runes, trying to figure out what he’s rocking there. Looks like [fehu/othala/ansuz/dagaz], the runes for F-O-A-D. So, the world’s most esoteric Fuck Off And Die tat?
Points for originality, I guess…
as to his other “crimes”
one was for a blood ritual, and if people on this website wish to crucify someone for blood play they are probably in the wrong community….
if you delve into the story you will see he did NOT get convicted of slicing open anyone. he just happened to be there, and be the male, and the young women in questions mother actually forced her to testify. she went on the stand saying she did not believe he had done anything wrong
he was in fact in the other room when said cutting occured.
as far as the kidnapping charges….people seem to dismiss the fact that they were DROPPED!
because the two strippers who accused him had also tried to pull the same scam twice before.
there’s always back stories to everything.
I won’t speculate on if he is or isn’t guilty, time will tell that.
but in the interim, please understand and respect the fact that he was family and friends out here in the world and everyones lives have been turned upside down.
I expect to read negative comments from close minded people in mainstream media
it hurts alot to see people within my own community making stupid comments about his modicifactions and how he should expect to be treated unfairly because of them.
as to his other “crimes”
one was for a blood ritual, and if people on this website wish to crucify someone for blood play they are probably in the wrong community….
if you delve into the story you will see he did NOT get convicted of slicing open anyone. he just happened to be there, and be the male, and the young women in questions mother actually forced her to testify. she went on the stand saying she did not believe he had done anything wrong
he was in fact in the other room when said cutting occured.
as far as the kidnapping charges….people seem to dismiss the fact that they were DROPPED!
because the two strippers who accused him had also tried to pull the same scam twice before.
there’s always back stories to everything.
I won’t speculate on if he is or isn’t guilty, time will tell that.
but in the interim, please understand and respect the fact that he was family and friends out here in the world and everyones lives have been turned upside down.
I expect to read negative comments from close minded people in mainstream media
it hurts alot to see people within my own community making stupid comments about his modicifactions and how he should expect to be treated unfairly because of them.
as to his other “crimes”
one was for a blood ritual, and if people on this website wish to crucify someone for blood play they are probably in the wrong community….
if you delve into the story you will see he did NOT get convicted of slicing open anyone. he just happened to be there, and be the male, and the young women in questions mother actually forced her to testify. she went on the stand saying she did not believe he had done anything wrong
he was in fact in the other room when said cutting occured.
as far as the kidnapping charges….people seem to dismiss the fact that they were DROPPED!
because the two strippers who accused him had also tried to pull the same scam twice before.
there’s always back stories to everything.
I won’t speculate on if he is or isn’t guilty, time will tell that.
but in the interim, please understand and respect the fact that he was family and friends out here in the world and everyones lives have been turned upside down.
I expect to read negative comments from close minded people in mainstream media
it hurts alot to see people within my own community making stupid comments about his modicifactions and how he should expect to be treated unfairly because of them.
@tooki “ethics of american media”?
To me one of the worst things is the implicit prejudice. In Germany, the privacy of accused and convicted offenders are protected. Mugshots and names are never published. Only when the person is prominent, some information may be leaked.
The idea is, that (1) an accused person is by definition innocent till official conviction, so the privacy must protected in case of aquittal. And (2), the punishment is exclusively reserved for the state.
So the offender must be protected against the conviction of the people. There is an ongoing discussion if in some cases of rape or child abuse these rules can be lowered, because of the protection of the people in the environment. I think these rules are the result of the bad experiences during the Nazi regiment, as Jews and others are marked and delivered to the brutality of the plebs.
@tooki “ethics of american media”?
To me one of the worst things is the implicit prejudice. In Germany, the privacy of accused and convicted offenders are protected. Mugshots and names are never published. Only when the person is prominent, some information may be leaked.
The idea is, that (1) an accused person is by definition innocent till official conviction, so the privacy must protected in case of aquittal. And (2), the punishment is exclusively reserved for the state.
So the offender must be protected against the conviction of the people. There is an ongoing discussion if in some cases of rape or child abuse these rules can be lowered, because of the protection of the people in the environment. I think these rules are the result of the bad experiences during the Nazi regiment, as Jews and others are marked and delivered to the brutality of the plebs.
@tooki “ethics of american media”?
To me one of the worst things is the implicit prejudice. In Germany, the privacy of accused and convicted offenders are protected. Mugshots and names are never published. Only when the person is prominent, some information may be leaked.
The idea is, that (1) an accused person is by definition innocent till official conviction, so the privacy must protected in case of aquittal. And (2), the punishment is exclusively reserved for the state.
So the offender must be protected against the conviction of the people. There is an ongoing discussion if in some cases of rape or child abuse these rules can be lowered, because of the protection of the people in the environment. I think these rules are the result of the bad experiences during the Nazi regiment, as Jews and others are marked and delivered to the brutality of the plebs.
@tookie
thank you for that. it was hilarious.
@tookie
thank you for that. it was hilarious.
@tookie
thank you for that. it was hilarious.
also tooki* should watch some clips of fox news and then report back
also tooki* should watch some clips of fox news and then report back
also tooki* should watch some clips of fox news and then report back
ah yes…the sun…. ignore the actual story and just concentrate on the fact he doesn’t look “normal” which obviously means he is a satanist!
ah yes…the sun…. ignore the actual story and just concentrate on the fact he doesn’t look “normal” which obviously means he is a satanist!
ah yes…the sun…. ignore the actual story and just concentrate on the fact he doesn’t look “normal” which obviously means he is a satanist!
i agree with what Rob said. he isn’t being biased here, he’s simply pointing out two opposite ways the news media is presenting this story. i’m sure there are a bunch of news medias that land in the middle here: presenting the story but also touching on this man’s appearance; something that shouldn’t matter. i knew for a fact this story was going to be on modblog after i saw it on the news and i wondered what would be said about it 🙂
i agree with what Rob said. he isn’t being biased here, he’s simply pointing out two opposite ways the news media is presenting this story. i’m sure there are a bunch of news medias that land in the middle here: presenting the story but also touching on this man’s appearance; something that shouldn’t matter. i knew for a fact this story was going to be on modblog after i saw it on the news and i wondered what would be said about it 🙂
i agree with what Rob said. he isn’t being biased here, he’s simply pointing out two opposite ways the news media is presenting this story. i’m sure there are a bunch of news medias that land in the middle here: presenting the story but also touching on this man’s appearance; something that shouldn’t matter. i knew for a fact this story was going to be on modblog after i saw it on the news and i wondered what would be said about it 🙂
Um, Jenn… Rob WAS showing a bias in his writing with this piece:
“It seems that for every step forward towards acceptance we take, someone is there to push us back. Think back to a few months ago when Lady Gaga debuted a music video featuring Zombie Boy and dancers with fake facial implants. Nobody had a problem with that, and she was applauded by the media for tackling issues of acceptance. Fast forward to today when someone who looks different than others has already been found guilty by the media simply for looking different.”
Now, there IS ambiguity around who Rob is naming as the “someone” who is trying to “push us back”. That someone could be the mainstream news media or it could be modified criminals giving “us” a bad name. I would like some clarification around that fact and also some kind of discourse around who this “us” is.
Us, the modified? US? That would be like saying “Us, the Atheists” as if all atheists are supposed to identify with one another simply because they all lack any theistic belief. I am in no way unified with this Trash dude simply because I too am modified. It’s obvious that he’s made bad life choices and associated with people who are at least capable (as I assume the 81 are) of the things of which they are accused. So why would I or anyone else subscribe to this notion of “us”?
No-one is trying to bring “us” down. That’s paranoid shit, dude.
Um, Jenn… Rob WAS showing a bias in his writing with this piece:
“It seems that for every step forward towards acceptance we take, someone is there to push us back. Think back to a few months ago when Lady Gaga debuted a music video featuring Zombie Boy and dancers with fake facial implants. Nobody had a problem with that, and she was applauded by the media for tackling issues of acceptance. Fast forward to today when someone who looks different than others has already been found guilty by the media simply for looking different.”
Now, there IS ambiguity around who Rob is naming as the “someone” who is trying to “push us back”. That someone could be the mainstream news media or it could be modified criminals giving “us” a bad name. I would like some clarification around that fact and also some kind of discourse around who this “us” is.
Us, the modified? US? That would be like saying “Us, the Atheists” as if all atheists are supposed to identify with one another simply because they all lack any theistic belief. I am in no way unified with this Trash dude simply because I too am modified. It’s obvious that he’s made bad life choices and associated with people who are at least capable (as I assume the 81 are) of the things of which they are accused. So why would I or anyone else subscribe to this notion of “us”?
No-one is trying to bring “us” down. That’s paranoid shit, dude.
Um, Jenn… Rob WAS showing a bias in his writing with this piece:
“It seems that for every step forward towards acceptance we take, someone is there to push us back. Think back to a few months ago when Lady Gaga debuted a music video featuring Zombie Boy and dancers with fake facial implants. Nobody had a problem with that, and she was applauded by the media for tackling issues of acceptance. Fast forward to today when someone who looks different than others has already been found guilty by the media simply for looking different.”
Now, there IS ambiguity around who Rob is naming as the “someone” who is trying to “push us back”. That someone could be the mainstream news media or it could be modified criminals giving “us” a bad name. I would like some clarification around that fact and also some kind of discourse around who this “us” is.
Us, the modified? US? That would be like saying “Us, the Atheists” as if all atheists are supposed to identify with one another simply because they all lack any theistic belief. I am in no way unified with this Trash dude simply because I too am modified. It’s obvious that he’s made bad life choices and associated with people who are at least capable (as I assume the 81 are) of the things of which they are accused. So why would I or anyone else subscribe to this notion of “us”?
No-one is trying to bring “us” down. That’s paranoid shit, dude.
@Jon: Let me put it in a way you might understand. Say you get charged with a crime you didn’t commit.
On the way to the court someone snaps a picture of you and then prints a story saying “he’s guilty because he looks the way he does”.
I’m not saying Caius is guilty or innocent. That’s up to a jury to decide. The problem I have is that the majority of news outlets are only seeing his appearance and ignoring everything else.
@Jon: Let me put it in a way you might understand. Say you get charged with a crime you didn’t commit.
On the way to the court someone snaps a picture of you and then prints a story saying “he’s guilty because he looks the way he does”.
I’m not saying Caius is guilty or innocent. That’s up to a jury to decide. The problem I have is that the majority of news outlets are only seeing his appearance and ignoring everything else.
@Jon: Let me put it in a way you might understand. Say you get charged with a crime you didn’t commit.
On the way to the court someone snaps a picture of you and then prints a story saying “he’s guilty because he looks the way he does”.
I’m not saying Caius is guilty or innocent. That’s up to a jury to decide. The problem I have is that the majority of news outlets are only seeing his appearance and ignoring everything else.
ah the Sun….what a complete waste of shite that gossip rag is..
seriously…the sun in terms of tabloid papers goes, is probably one of the best….at focusing on things that have bugger all to do with the story itself more often than not…..and thats if you can see past the tits and football on the pages lol
seriously, I would like to have seen a proper broadsheet uk paper do this…would of been more like the first article..
the sun…not even good even to wipe my arse on with all the crap in it lol
and sin tax? who comes up with these names lol
ah the Sun….what a complete waste of shite that gossip rag is..
seriously…the sun in terms of tabloid papers goes, is probably one of the best….at focusing on things that have bugger all to do with the story itself more often than not…..and thats if you can see past the tits and football on the pages lol
seriously, I would like to have seen a proper broadsheet uk paper do this…would of been more like the first article..
the sun…not even good even to wipe my arse on with all the crap in it lol
and sin tax? who comes up with these names lol
ah the Sun….what a complete waste of shite that gossip rag is..
seriously…the sun in terms of tabloid papers goes, is probably one of the best….at focusing on things that have bugger all to do with the story itself more often than not…..and thats if you can see past the tits and football on the pages lol
seriously, I would like to have seen a proper broadsheet uk paper do this…would of been more like the first article..
the sun…not even good even to wipe my arse on with all the crap in it lol
and sin tax? who comes up with these names lol
Re: the first story,
Not to sound callous but what do you expect from the Sun?
Re: the first story,
Not to sound callous but what do you expect from the Sun?
Re: the first story,
Not to sound callous but what do you expect from the Sun?
Oh pish posh, Rob. We make conscious choices about how we look, and, whether one modifies oneself as a personal choice or as a way to separate oneself from society, if we choose a drastically “different” appearance to what is the cultural norm of the time, we set ourselves apart and make ourselves objects of curiosity, admiration, or disgust. We know this. It might not be fair, but it’s common-sense.
If you choose to drastically modify yourself, you’d better be damn sure your behaviour is exemplary. If you’re modifying yourself to set yourself apart from society, as some form of outlaw practise, then I have no sympathy if you butt heads with the enforcers of that society’s laws and norms. Diddums. You should expect it.
I’ll repeat: it’s not fair. In fact, it can be quite offensive and aggravating. But you’ll never change it. It’s ingrained. Just as we are all ethnocentric about aspects of the culture in which we were raised, we can’t help but be biased towards what we find normal. The majority of people don’t find modifying oneself to be normal and will take offense. Until the majority of society is tattooed, then pierced, then stretches those piercings, then gets brandings, cutting, and implants, these things will all carry a stigma.
It’s all so straight-forward, it’s almost redundant saying it. Unless you’re working your ass off to become the employers of the future, the semi-professionals and professionals, you’ll never bring about widespread changes in mainstream attitudes. And people that choose to live on the fringes and participate in modification practises, who keep company with criminals and participate in criminal acts, will always taint it for the rest of us who enjoy being tattooed, piercied, scarred, implanted, etc. etc.
Oh pish posh, Rob. We make conscious choices about how we look, and, whether one modifies oneself as a personal choice or as a way to separate oneself from society, if we choose a drastically “different” appearance to what is the cultural norm of the time, we set ourselves apart and make ourselves objects of curiosity, admiration, or disgust. We know this. It might not be fair, but it’s common-sense.
If you choose to drastically modify yourself, you’d better be damn sure your behaviour is exemplary. If you’re modifying yourself to set yourself apart from society, as some form of outlaw practise, then I have no sympathy if you butt heads with the enforcers of that society’s laws and norms. Diddums. You should expect it.
I’ll repeat: it’s not fair. In fact, it can be quite offensive and aggravating. But you’ll never change it. It’s ingrained. Just as we are all ethnocentric about aspects of the culture in which we were raised, we can’t help but be biased towards what we find normal. The majority of people don’t find modifying oneself to be normal and will take offense. Until the majority of society is tattooed, then pierced, then stretches those piercings, then gets brandings, cutting, and implants, these things will all carry a stigma.
It’s all so straight-forward, it’s almost redundant saying it. Unless you’re working your ass off to become the employers of the future, the semi-professionals and professionals, you’ll never bring about widespread changes in mainstream attitudes. And people that choose to live on the fringes and participate in modification practises, who keep company with criminals and participate in criminal acts, will always taint it for the rest of us who enjoy being tattooed, piercied, scarred, implanted, etc. etc.
Oh pish posh, Rob. We make conscious choices about how we look, and, whether one modifies oneself as a personal choice or as a way to separate oneself from society, if we choose a drastically “different” appearance to what is the cultural norm of the time, we set ourselves apart and make ourselves objects of curiosity, admiration, or disgust. We know this. It might not be fair, but it’s common-sense.
If you choose to drastically modify yourself, you’d better be damn sure your behaviour is exemplary. If you’re modifying yourself to set yourself apart from society, as some form of outlaw practise, then I have no sympathy if you butt heads with the enforcers of that society’s laws and norms. Diddums. You should expect it.
I’ll repeat: it’s not fair. In fact, it can be quite offensive and aggravating. But you’ll never change it. It’s ingrained. Just as we are all ethnocentric about aspects of the culture in which we were raised, we can’t help but be biased towards what we find normal. The majority of people don’t find modifying oneself to be normal and will take offense. Until the majority of society is tattooed, then pierced, then stretches those piercings, then gets brandings, cutting, and implants, these things will all carry a stigma.
It’s all so straight-forward, it’s almost redundant saying it. Unless you’re working your ass off to become the employers of the future, the semi-professionals and professionals, you’ll never bring about widespread changes in mainstream attitudes. And people that choose to live on the fringes and participate in modification practises, who keep company with criminals and participate in criminal acts, will always taint it for the rest of us who enjoy being tattooed, piercied, scarred, implanted, etc. etc.
“I’m not saying Caius is guilty or innocent. That’s up to a jury to decide. The problem I have is that the majority of news outlets are only seeing his appearance and ignoring everything else.”
Um, every news story I have read, regardless of whether they make his appearance a point of interest, are still at least reporting that he is being accused of murder and kidnapping. They’re not entirely ignoring everything else. Perhaps you wish they wouldn’t even MENTION that he looks the way he does. Well, they are. Why are you so aggrieved that Caius is getting exactly the reaction he wanted from the modifications he underwent? The jagged 666 on his forehead, as well as the rest, are obviously supposed to cause a certain reaction in public, yet you’re all butt-hurt that the reaction is the obvious one?
“I’m not saying Caius is guilty or innocent. That’s up to a jury to decide. The problem I have is that the majority of news outlets are only seeing his appearance and ignoring everything else.”
Um, every news story I have read, regardless of whether they make his appearance a point of interest, are still at least reporting that he is being accused of murder and kidnapping. They’re not entirely ignoring everything else. Perhaps you wish they wouldn’t even MENTION that he looks the way he does. Well, they are. Why are you so aggrieved that Caius is getting exactly the reaction he wanted from the modifications he underwent? The jagged 666 on his forehead, as well as the rest, are obviously supposed to cause a certain reaction in public, yet you’re all butt-hurt that the reaction is the obvious one?
“I’m not saying Caius is guilty or innocent. That’s up to a jury to decide. The problem I have is that the majority of news outlets are only seeing his appearance and ignoring everything else.”
Um, every news story I have read, regardless of whether they make his appearance a point of interest, are still at least reporting that he is being accused of murder and kidnapping. They’re not entirely ignoring everything else. Perhaps you wish they wouldn’t even MENTION that he looks the way he does. Well, they are. Why are you so aggrieved that Caius is getting exactly the reaction he wanted from the modifications he underwent? The jagged 666 on his forehead, as well as the rest, are obviously supposed to cause a certain reaction in public, yet you’re all butt-hurt that the reaction is the obvious one?
When the news reports the police are looking for a 5’10″, 200 pound $RACE male between the ages of 30 and 34, that’s not racism aimed at people of $RACE background, that’s a description of the suspect…
Try to look sinister and dangerous, people are going to talk about it.
The number “666″ is very potent, very emotionally charged. As is the swastika. I see those pieces of ink, especially on the bloody forehead, I’ll be thinking/reacting much differently than to African tribal facial scarring or to moko.
Apropos of nothing: If convicted I guarantee he’ll show up on Stupid Criminal lists/sites. For doing crime while sporting an unconventional, attention-getting, easily-identified image.
When the news reports the police are looking for a 5’10″, 200 pound $RACE male between the ages of 30 and 34, that’s not racism aimed at people of $RACE background, that’s a description of the suspect…
Try to look sinister and dangerous, people are going to talk about it.
The number “666″ is very potent, very emotionally charged. As is the swastika. I see those pieces of ink, especially on the bloody forehead, I’ll be thinking/reacting much differently than to African tribal facial scarring or to moko.
Apropos of nothing: If convicted I guarantee he’ll show up on Stupid Criminal lists/sites. For doing crime while sporting an unconventional, attention-getting, easily-identified image.
When the news reports the police are looking for a 5’10″, 200 pound $RACE male between the ages of 30 and 34, that’s not racism aimed at people of $RACE background, that’s a description of the suspect…
Try to look sinister and dangerous, people are going to talk about it.
The number “666″ is very potent, very emotionally charged. As is the swastika. I see those pieces of ink, especially on the bloody forehead, I’ll be thinking/reacting much differently than to African tribal facial scarring or to moko.
Apropos of nothing: If convicted I guarantee he’ll show up on Stupid Criminal lists/sites. For doing crime while sporting an unconventional, attention-getting, easily-identified image.
@Jon P
Considering the runes on his face translate to “Fuck Off And Die,” I am inclined to agree with your viewpoint. The man may or may not be innocent, and I am certainly not fond of societies view on modification, but he is only asking for the publicity he is obtaining. He asked for the reaction he is getting. I don’t know the man, but I don’t need to to know that he wants to piss people off. And that is exactly what he is doing. Every tattoo on the mans face breathes of hatred.
Unfortunately, this is the world we live in. It is not acceptable of the norm to be heavily modified. You must be conscious in every decision you make towards modification. I have thought and rethought every tattoo and piercing I have ever gotten. I enjoy the art, but I also know what kind of statements they will make. I know that I will desert, shock, and offend some people and I have come to terms with that. I am ready for the reactions. It is something everyone who decides to push past the acceptable norm must do.
This man has clearly chosen his battle and I do not sympathize for him. He has brought the entirety of the attention he has received upon himself. Does it make those of us who decided to display public modifications seem horrible in the majorities eyes? Sure. Is it fair? No. Should modification, especially public modification, be generalized as a factor for violence and mental instability? No. But thus is the world. This is the world we have created. It is what we have to live with. We all know what society thinks of modification, we chose the reactions we get. If you do not educate yourself on what society deems acceptable, then you are deserving of being offended when someone slanders you. I do not have pity for those who make uneducated decisions.
I don’t enjoy being negatively viewed just as much as everyone else in the world. But there comes a point in which you have to ask yourself how everyone else around you will feel about what you do to your body and then you must make the decision whether you can live with how people see you. People forget that we are creatures of circumstance and comfort. The majority of the human race defines what is normal as what is comfortable. And what is comfortable is what we have become accustom to. The majority of humans views are formed by the environments we grew up in, and I would almost go as far as to say that all humans establish at least some opinions from their environment. Societies views do not change over night but they do always change. Eventually, and not so long from now, something that was looked down upon will become acceptable. And something that was acceptable will be seen with prejudice.
@Jon P
Considering the runes on his face translate to “Fuck Off And Die,” I am inclined to agree with your viewpoint. The man may or may not be innocent, and I am certainly not fond of societies view on modification, but he is only asking for the publicity he is obtaining. He asked for the reaction he is getting. I don’t know the man, but I don’t need to to know that he wants to piss people off. And that is exactly what he is doing. Every tattoo on the mans face breathes of hatred.
Unfortunately, this is the world we live in. It is not acceptable of the norm to be heavily modified. You must be conscious in every decision you make towards modification. I have thought and rethought every tattoo and piercing I have ever gotten. I enjoy the art, but I also know what kind of statements they will make. I know that I will desert, shock, and offend some people and I have come to terms with that. I am ready for the reactions. It is something everyone who decides to push past the acceptable norm must do.
This man has clearly chosen his battle and I do not sympathize for him. He has brought the entirety of the attention he has received upon himself. Does it make those of us who decided to display public modifications seem horrible in the majorities eyes? Sure. Is it fair? No. Should modification, especially public modification, be generalized as a factor for violence and mental instability? No. But thus is the world. This is the world we have created. It is what we have to live with. We all know what society thinks of modification, we chose the reactions we get. If you do not educate yourself on what society deems acceptable, then you are deserving of being offended when someone slanders you. I do not have pity for those who make uneducated decisions.
I don’t enjoy being negatively viewed just as much as everyone else in the world. But there comes a point in which you have to ask yourself how everyone else around you will feel about what you do to your body and then you must make the decision whether you can live with how people see you. People forget that we are creatures of circumstance and comfort. The majority of the human race defines what is normal as what is comfortable. And what is comfortable is what we have become accustom to. The majority of humans views are formed by the environments we grew up in, and I would almost go as far as to say that all humans establish at least some opinions from their environment. Societies views do not change over night but they do always change. Eventually, and not so long from now, something that was looked down upon will become acceptable. And something that was acceptable will be seen with prejudice.
@Jon P
Considering the runes on his face translate to “Fuck Off And Die,” I am inclined to agree with your viewpoint. The man may or may not be innocent, and I am certainly not fond of societies view on modification, but he is only asking for the publicity he is obtaining. He asked for the reaction he is getting. I don’t know the man, but I don’t need to to know that he wants to piss people off. And that is exactly what he is doing. Every tattoo on the mans face breathes of hatred.
Unfortunately, this is the world we live in. It is not acceptable of the norm to be heavily modified. You must be conscious in every decision you make towards modification. I have thought and rethought every tattoo and piercing I have ever gotten. I enjoy the art, but I also know what kind of statements they will make. I know that I will desert, shock, and offend some people and I have come to terms with that. I am ready for the reactions. It is something everyone who decides to push past the acceptable norm must do.
This man has clearly chosen his battle and I do not sympathize for him. He has brought the entirety of the attention he has received upon himself. Does it make those of us who decided to display public modifications seem horrible in the majorities eyes? Sure. Is it fair? No. Should modification, especially public modification, be generalized as a factor for violence and mental instability? No. But thus is the world. This is the world we have created. It is what we have to live with. We all know what society thinks of modification, we chose the reactions we get. If you do not educate yourself on what society deems acceptable, then you are deserving of being offended when someone slanders you. I do not have pity for those who make uneducated decisions.
I don’t enjoy being negatively viewed just as much as everyone else in the world. But there comes a point in which you have to ask yourself how everyone else around you will feel about what you do to your body and then you must make the decision whether you can live with how people see you. People forget that we are creatures of circumstance and comfort. The majority of the human race defines what is normal as what is comfortable. And what is comfortable is what we have become accustom to. The majority of humans views are formed by the environments we grew up in, and I would almost go as far as to say that all humans establish at least some opinions from their environment. Societies views do not change over night but they do always change. Eventually, and not so long from now, something that was looked down upon will become acceptable. And something that was acceptable will be seen with prejudice.
I completely agree — I have quite a lot of visible tattoos, and no, I’m not fond of the way some people choose to view me as a person because of them. But my tattoos aren’t intended to invite negative attention, and that’s why it bothers me when they do. I have brightly coloured, cartoonish tattoos – I have Sailor Moon and
Sailor Mars on the back of my legs, and yet somehow some parts of society will find a way to be offended by that. Fine. That’s their bias, and their old-fashioned viewpoint. All I can do is act in a way to hopefully change that bias – I work in hospitality, and speak to people on a daily basis. I am polite, well spoken (I hope), and like to be well informed news and politics-wise. I have a part time job, I study fulltime, I’m married and live a very quiet life with my husband and animals. I don’t do drugs and have never been a fan, I have no criminal record, I don’t drink heavily, and I didn’t get pregnant very young like a large part of my age group have done in my area. Infact, people that know me joke about me being the oldest 24 year old they know.
My parents are very straight up and down, and people have asked my mum how she “can stand to watch me do those things to my skin” (delightful, right?). She now answers the same way I do — “I’ve worked fulltime since I was 17, I’m studying, I’m married — I’m not a pregnant crack whore walking the streets with several children in state care – where’s the issue?” Even though it took a while for my parents to get used to the way I look, even they can understand that a person isn’t their looks — but in the case of the guy aforementioned, sometimes the cover IS a dead giveaway to the book behind it. If you choose to have “666″ and a translation of “Fuck off and Die” tattooed on your face, and you don’t want to be judged by it, then don’t give them a reason to be judging — don’t get yourself arrested and convicted of assault, and then don’t get implicated in the murder of three people. In my experience, there’s usually no smoke without fire. (Let’s not be petty idiots and bring up obvious examples of the opposite.)
Or, you know, don’t get that kind of provocative statement put permanently to skin. I’m not sure if I’d trust a guy wearing 666 on his forehead, and I’d like to think of myself as pretty accepting.