Looking at people as more than a label

Jill Clarride, Bremerton

Kitsap Sun

An important part of democracy is for everyone to take responsibility for their vote, to own their decisions. This has not always been the case.

For example, in this country, citizens and politicians now deny or downplay their support for the Iraq and Vietnam wars. In the 1930s we find masses of Germans jubilantly supporting inhuman treatment of Jews, but after the war no one in these crowds of thousands, millions were to be found.

So now, for the sake of honesty and learning from history, people who are committed to a cause should consider tattooing an indication of their beliefs on their shoulder. It would work like this: a pacificist, a climate change denier, an environmentalist, a racist, an anti-vaxxer, a person who is pro-choice or thinks the Covid -19 pandemic is a hoax would proudly tattoo P, CCD, E, R, AV, PC, CH respectively. And of course, for the upcoming election, a B for Biden, a T for Trump or whatever. Ten, 30 or 50 years from now, looking down at your shoulder might give pause and provide a time for reflection and even adjustment of the way one thinks.

And think how much it would help with your obituary.

Jill Clarridge, Bremerton