Mailbox

[May 23rd, 2007] INK-STAINED WRETCHES
In the May 16 article "Tattoo Redo," Paige Richmond appears to be fixated on the fact that we had not conducted a longitudinal study on the lives of the graduates of Project Erase, Outside In's program to remove tattoos from homeless youth and low-income adults working to change their lives.

Here is the story that Richmond didn't tell. The project, which began with the encouragement, start-up funds and a donated laser from the Northwest Health Foundation and the Oregon Psychiatric Association, runs on a shoe string. Twenty- five volunteer doctors provide all of our medical visits, and the space is donated. We remove gang-, street- or prison-related tattoos and swastikas from homeless youth and adults, and the names of violent former partners from women escaping domestic violence. Removing these tattoos allows participants to live without shame and fear. Apparently Paige Richmond wants Outside In to help these clients only if we can raise funds for a longitudinal study. We rely on evaluations that have demonstrated the effectiveness of tattoo removal and urge Richmond to research these studies.

Removing tattoos may not prevent anyone from ever facing a violent spouse again, falling back into addiction or gang banging or returning to jail. They have to do that for themselves. Despite the research, we can't guarantee the two-year-long painful procedure will result in a job placement or a college diploma, but we have over 100 people on the waiting list willing to try.
Kathy Oliver, Ph.D., executive director
John Duke, clinic director
Outside In

WHAT WOULD GORBACHEV DO?
It was a real bummer reading Byron Beck's article titled "From the Mouth of Babes" [WW, April 18, 2007]. How rotten that those kids were so abundantly encouraged to gather against their gay brothers and sisters, fellow citizens of our country. How disgusting that they were fired up with putrid propaganda, creating false worries such as how to feel in the bathroom. How perverted that they would insult America by using our precarious freedom to add their dirty hate to our already filthy hate pool. The adults involved are selfish and cold to teach their kids that homophobia is the way.

Shouldn't they be all too familiar by now with sick and violent oppression? Have they forgotten what it's like to have to run for your life? Do they really believe that they deserve to be free in America but that gay people do not? Are they insane?

Byron Beck hit the target when he joked that these immigrants are free, IN AMERICA, to "light incense or sing their chants." Certainly these people have had to endure this type of trivialization, generalization, and degradation of their cultural and religious traditions, both here and in Russia. And worse. JUST LIKE GAY PEOPLE. And now they're using their energies to stomp down America's bedraggled, exhausted, gay community?

How dare they. Jesus would not do that.
Anathema Blast
Lake Oswego