Tongue-splitting ban slices its way through Legislature

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | May 1, 2003 | BRYAN SMITH

[Dante3]

Good point!

[Skooz]

Yeah, like I really needed THAT this morning.

For cryin' out loud...........

[laredo44]

This is their only outlet for self-expression, and if you take that away, they lose their only justificaton for existence.

Care to analyze those that want to ban these things?

[laredo44]

government may have to pay to clean it up.

Government doesn't have to do any such thing. The lie, however, will give those seeking to impose their standards on the rest of us the figleaf they desire as they enact bans.

[kcvl]

Parents...

[OldPossum]

The question I have is: how do they sound when they speak?

[mr.pink]

Where did you find those pictures?

He probably got them at www.bme.freeq.com

And believe me, he posted pretty tame stuff relative to some of the bizarre stuff these folks are doing. It's mind blowing stuff.

[laredo44]

I hear the body modification is growing, has been an underground movement for decades (since Kogelhoffer or whatever that artists name is who cut off a part of himself).

Didn't Van Gogh cut off his ear? Or is that just an urban legend? Oedipus poked out his eyes, but that, of course, is fiction.

[unixfox]

The government has the right to decide who can perform the procedure because the government may have to pay to clean it up.

And who would that said government be?

I don't think the "government" has ANY business telling me or anybody else what they can or cannot do to themselves. If they (the government) can pass laws outlawing this, how long will it be before they outlaw ear piercing. My guess, not very long.

[Consort]

But....but....do we want to return to the days of back-alley tongue splitting?

[Eagle Eye]

But does the government - at any level - really have to try to outlaw stupidity

It depends.

It is illegal to become hooked on crack, but legal to get hooked on cigarettes, booze or prescription narcotics.

It is illegal in most places to attempt or commit suicide.

But it is perfectly legal to try to trim one's own hair with a rotary lawmower. Maybe we need a new law...

[Eagle Eye]

But does the government - at any level - really have to try to outlaw stupidity

It depends.

It is illegal to become hooked on crack, but legal to get hooked on cigarettes, booze or prescription narcotics.

It is illegal in most places to attempt or commit suicide.

But it is perfectly legal to try to trim one's own hair with a rotary lawmower. Maybe we need a new law...

[Puddleglum]

Oh, ya know, just let them do this splitting and everything else. Nothing will inoculate the next generation from such foolishness like seeing mom and pop with their split tongues and tattoos talking about how "cool" they once were.

[realpatriot71]

If you happen think it's a good idea to (1) cut your tounge so as to get a "reptilian" appearance and (2) you have no problem letting the local tattoo/pierce shop guy do it, you deserve whatever happens to you.

"Thinning of the herd" in this respect doesn't bother me a bit.

[mr.pink]

Didn't Van Gogh cut off his ear? Or is that just an urban legend?

Some have suggested that Van Gogh really lost his ear in a drunken brawl with artist Paul Gauguin.

[MJM59]

If somebody dies because they got some sort of an infection as a result of getting their tongue split, it shouldn't be a crime. It is just natural selection at work. Just thinning out the herd, so to speak.
IMHO :)

[Sofa King]

"There's really no reason someone should be splitting his or her tongue," Meeks said. "We are simply trying to keep people from hurting themselves."

I say let whoever actually wants to have this done decide whether or not there is a reason that they should be doing it.

[AppyPappy]

That's a very good reason to get and keep the government out of the insurance business!

Yes but the government IS in the medical business. If you get them out, I don't care what you do.

[AppyPappy]

As long as people insist on the government being their nanny, they will have to accept some controls on their behavior.

[BSunday]

it should come with a warning that it's not for the squeamish

Or maybe "sqtheamith"