Tattoo question

[Pigsty333]

My husband is an American of Irish descent and is employed in the travel business area in Orlando. He has a tattoo of an American flag entwined with an Irish flag on his calf.

It has never been an issue at work (as many people have them with the Puerto Rican flag, Mexican Flag, Polish flag, Italian flag, etc.) However, this weekend he had a British tourist go up to his manager and complain that he found it offensive that he was sporting such a tattoo with the tri-colors of Ireland. Why? She related that she found it offensive and an affront to her.

That is the great thing about living in America - the freedom of to be able to sport something like this without any repercussions. If it offended you, then look the other way. Maybe somethin you have, wear, or do might offend an American, but that does not stop them from doing their job and getting you off on a wonderful holiday.

Think twice before you make such rash decisions and decide to make someone's life a living hell because of the fact that they wear their nationality or heritage with pride.

 

[diberry]

I don't understand why the tourist objected. I'm sure it was an isolated incident. I can't imagine the vast majority of Brits finding it offensive in any way. Sorry your husband had this problem but there are people with extreme views in every nation - it's just a shame she felt she had to share them!

 

[Cyrano]

Unfortunately bigots exist, but thankfully in the minority.

Don't let small minded people cloud your views of all the other tourists.

Reid

 

[Ware Bears]

I can't understand how the tattoo can have offended the lady either.

I hope your DH received the support of his manager. I also hope he realises that 99.9% of Brits are not like this, unfortunately he just had the misfortune to meet the 0.1% who is!

 

[Frances999]

I'm sure this was an isolated incident. Although I don't like tattoo's I would appreciate the fact that other people do and keep my opinion to myself. I don't think you should collectivise all Brit's into "making such rash decisions" - just as in any other country on Earth there will always be a small minority who will constantly complain at small things like this.

That is the great thing about living in America - the freedom of to be able to sport something like this without any repercussions.

That's the great thing about the UK too.

 

[carolfoy]

I'm sorry to hear that, I do think your husband was extremely unlucky to encounter such an arrogant person, sounds like they had extreme political issues with the Irish tricolor!! I do think you'd be hard pushed to find another Brit with such offensive views. As Frances999 says we do have generally a very open minded nation with different races, religions and cultures living happily side by side for the most part.

 

[diberry]

I've been thinking about this since I read it last night and a couple of points are worrying me.
Firstly I wonder why you said the tourist's comments had made your husband's life a "living hell" which seems a very strong way to describe it. Were there bad repercussions for him at work? From what you said it sounds like it's quite acceptable at his place of work so I can't work out why you said his life was made a living hell?
Secondly I'm not sure if your message was just describing a distressing incident or tarring all of us Brits with the same brush: "Think twice before you make such rash decisions and decide to make someone's life a living hell".
I understand that you are upset and want to stand up for your husband but from previous responses I think you can see that we are not all like that tourist and it would be very unfair to assume we are.

 

[Miffy2003]

Unfortunately there are small minded people in this world and they can be found in every nation in my experience

I am very sorry that your husband experienced this. The only thing I can possibly think might have outraged this individual so much is if she is a staunch supporter of the IRA and might be offended by the Irish flag??? I am probably totally off base here though. I expect you are aware of the situation with Northern Ireland?

 

[Pigsty333]

Yes, I am aware of the problems and my husband's family hails from Belfast, so we are more than aware of the problems.

This lady just made his life totally miserable all night. He works at the airport and she kept on ranting about it offending her that the had the tricolor and that she was protestant and he must be a catholic. This is what upset us so bad because that was never given a second thought on when he had that tattoo done years ago. They are so common here with the flags of your ancestry country and the american flag.

However, because of the extreme heat and working the planes, it gets very hot. His boss told him that he might have to wear long pants and hide it from now on. How petty.

I have nothing against it - I just put the question out there to see what everyone thought.

I have friends of every nationality and every religion and I have no problems. I just find it so moronic that we let religion and politics disrupt our everyday life like that.

Thanks for all the support and I have met some very nice tourists (of all nationalities) here in Orlando who are a gem.

 

[Olaf]

Excuse me, but no one from the UK should feel the need to apologize for one ignorant British tourist. The fact that so many of you have, in this thread, just goes to show that the overwhelming majority of Brits are kind-hearted, polite people.

 

[diberry]

I'm so sorry this incident happened - it's obviously really upset you. Tell your husband to tell his boss it was an isolated incident and the chances of it happening again are practically nil. He certainly needs to keep as cool as he can if he works outside - the Florida heat and humidity are killers (though we adore Florida!!!). There are about 55 million of us over here and only a tiny fraction hold such strong and twisted views as this tourist did. She's a disgrace to our country but by no means representative!! I hope you all feel a lot better about it soon and can put it behind you - she's not worth the aggravation!

 

[DisneySurfGirl]

Well I'm from a Northern Irish and English background and I for one would be proud to see someone embracing their being a part of two cultures. All power to your husband for recognising he's both Irish and American and tell him not to let the narrow mindedness of that tourist get to him. People who still believe that protestants and catholics are two seperate species in N. Ireland obviously don't get out much and talk to the lovely people who make up the majority who see no problem with people's religious views. OK rant over now

And if it helps I got told my tattoo was obscene... it's just a plain black tribal turtle design on my hip, I don't know what the lady who told me off thought it was!

 

[Clare D]

I think this woman was living in the past as attitudes in the UK have very much changed since those of the 70's and 80's.
I recently was at the England v N.Ireland match and was in a pub with the majority of the N.Ireland fans and one of them was a Catholic - which is quite unusual as most N.Irish Catholics support the Republic team. I had a great time and never once did it cross my mind where these people were from.
She should get a life and watch MTV where most Rock/Hip hop stars have tattoo's - wonder what she would say to them!