Child Protection Bills Lose, Yet You Still Can Do Something

Ryan Orr I will not go into theological debate here, but I have always believed that if God had wanted me to have pockets or be covered He would have had those included when I was born. He gave us a skin for that. If He wanted me to be black or brown or white or yellow or red (none of which are natural colors I might add) He would have made me exactly how He wanted me. If he wanted me to be tattooed, those would have been included as well, and if He wanted me to have more holes in my body than I have, He would have included them as well. Heaven forbid, most of us leak out the holes we already have...

If you believe only in evolution, then evolution would have created all of those things as well. However God, nor evolution did that now did they?

As an adult, you have certain choices you can make in your life. If you choose to molest your body for whatever reason that is up to you. If you like some old man or woman to finger your private parts putting stain or piercing's on them that too is up to you.

However getting a strange new haircut, that will grow out again, at least until you go bald, is one thing, a child has certain rights too you know. A child does not have the right to permanently harm or molest him or herself, allow themselves to be abused when so much abuse is already going on in our State. As adults they have plenty of time to decide if they want these things done.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, said it's wrong to hold tattoo parlors responsible for enforcing communication that should already be taking place between a child and their parents.

Sen. Rod Adair, R-Roswell, the bill's sponsor, said the law was necessary to give parents the ability to help their children make responsible decisions about tattoos and piercing's. He is correct. Without his bill the parents are legally kept out of the loop regarding these life-changing decisions. Yet by law, a minor can not buy a cigarette, or liquor with or without parent permission.

Let me understand this. If A child skips school a lot, the parents pay the price, not the child. If a business sells liquor to a child, the business gets fined, it can't sell liquor for a whopping single day - more on that in another article.

Yet, we can have some old man fingering and touching our children, piercing his or her body, including touching their genitals, rear ends, and other parts, including piercing and tattooing those genitals all without parents permission. Hello Michael Sanchez, are you working for the citizens of New Mexico or not? Is this just to stop a Republican bill?

Let's see how this works: reintroduce a bill that says a minor can not have a tattoo or piercing without the presence of their parent or guardian. This is ridiculous. It is the responsibility of the tattoo parlor? You bet it is.

Do parents have something they can do? You bet. Until Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez decides to work with the republican bills, and vice versa, you as a parent can and should press charges with the prosecuting attorney's office for and not including, because I am sure they come can up with other things, Child Endangerment, Child molestation, Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, Child Abuse, Sadism, and a list a mile long. You as a parent have these options. Since the tattoo or piercing is on the child, you have the evidence. Will a prosecutor prosecute? I'm betting if it were their child they would. So try it. This is a criminal offense even without the new law!

Tattoo parlors that would do this without a parent present shouldn't be in business in the first place, and I am sure most in this City, would not do it without a parent present. Correct me if you are a parent and know differently.

It is the job of the Senate and the House to protect our children, not just on things they believe are correct, but in all matters. If tattoo parlors are doing this, and many are, then it is up to our representatives to stop it, and stop it cold.

If you are a responsible Tattoo Parlor or lawmaker make your voice heard, and write your representatives, e-mail them if nothing else, let the prosecutors judges and legislators know how you feel because the next victim could be your son or daughter, or grandchild.

If you are a prosecutor make it known that any molestation by a tattoo parlor will be dealt with extreme prejudice. We will work on the laws.

About the Author

Randy Redhawk has written four novels and two self help books under the name Ryan Orr, Including "Adolescent Boys and Dealing With Sex". His free lance articles have appeared in several Gannet newspapers, as well as the New York Times and Chicago Tribune and other major publications under Randy Weldon. He is a New Mexico resident. He can be reached at ryanorr@rwpbooks.com