4-11-2009

Well, now we have gone back (mostly) to Blogger.

Due to name conflicts in Michigan, we recently changed the name of our ministry from Whole Life Ministries to UBU Ministries.

The UBU Ministry page is at http://www.ubu-ministries.org

The Happy Valley Tattoo & Piercing page is still at http://www.tat2me.com and we are keeping that URL even though we are selling the name “Happy Valley Tattoo”.  Anyone want to buy it?  #1 in Utah since 2002!

I have a health page at http://www.gregorylowrey.com

Here is where you can find docloco.com

My MySpace page is still at http://www.myspace.com/docloco

And, horror of horrors – I have a twitter page https://twitter.com/DocLowrey

So, most of the posts here have been sent there and new posts are made there not here.

If you have any trouble finding what you are looking for there, you can email me and I will try to find it for you.

Thanks,

Doc

To read all postings regarding the – Happy Valley Tattoo Massacre’ click here

For one of many great live versions click here

To read all postings regarding the – Happy Valley Tattoo Massacre’ click here

We haven’t had any more contact by the American Fork Police since they served us with an eviction order last thursday.
A local newspaper has decided to write about us; amazingly it is the Mormon Church owned Deseret News.

Meanwhile, none of the other agencies, FBI, ACLU etc. that claimed to be interested in helping us have followed through on their promises of initiating investigations at all.

At the same time, the FBI considers what is obviously a children’s prank (and typical for Utah) to be (though they don’t come out and say it) a “terrorist threat” though they do say they are pursuing it as a “hate crime”.

Here’s an excerpt and link.

“The FBI now considers the graffiti spray-painted outside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ seminary building at Highland High School a hate crime. The graffiti was discovered at the Salt Lake school on Jan. 11. Spray-painted arrows led from message to message to message.”

“This is more than just kids playing. This is something extending beyond that,” FBI Special Agent Juan Becerra said Wednesday. “It’s trying to send a message where a church is not welcome.” http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695246622,00.html

We certainly consider the raid by the American Fork police to be a fascist act that was intended to disrupt our ability to offer services and for our staff to provide for their families to a much greater degree than requiring the cleaning of graffiti from our building – and we do consider these actions against us as “hate crimes” also “trying to send a message where a church is not welcome.”

But the FBI was supposed to have an investigator out here two weeks ago and no one has called or shown up. The FBI agent known only to me as Irma, who assigned the investigation to us no longer takes my calls or returns my messages – but they will put all their efforts into school-kids painting graffiti on a church owned high-school structure, claiming to be “Knights of Satan” out to “dismantle the Mormon Empire” and “claim Mormon children”.

These pranks of high-school children receive the full attention of the FBI, especially, I believe because the LDS church was the victim, whereas, our church is basically ignored since we are not status quo like the LDS church and do not have the Salt Lake City FBI office staffed with our church members as the majority religion does.

It has been obvious when talking to these different agencies that they are very uncomfortable with the idea of members of their (Mormon) church perpetrating these violations against another church and would rather exercise denial than pursue justice against their own membership.

And it seems that our offering tattooing and piercing as ministry services somehow in their minds invalidates our claims regarding violations of our civil and religious rights making anti-constitutional acts against us somehow deserved and our constitutional rights void where prohibited by religious discrimination.

Having members of local law enforcement flaunting their authority as well as their disregard for the law, practicing harassment and intimidation, confiscating materials of spiritual value to their creators and materials designed to assist patrons in practicing their personal spirituality and support of this ministry are much more serious in my mind than painting a few upside down stars on a school building – though I find vandalism despicable and consider destruction of other people’s property to not be an act of free speech, though a lot of graffiti artists and “taggers” I’m sure, feel somehow entitled.

Nobody has confiscated the materials that the LDS church school uses to perform it’s mission and no one has charged them with crimes they did not commit and no one is prosecuting them for being victims of crime as if they were criminals, and no one, as officers of the law are threatening them with prison when they have committed no crimes, and and no one is telling their ministers that they have to move out of their residences, and yet, the obviously teenage created graffiti is considered a “hate crime” while the police action against us, they would rather sweep under the rug since it is a violation by, rather than against, members of the majority religion.

I plan on making phone calls today to the home offices of all the agencies who’s Utah departments are giving us the cold shoulder in the hopes that they will want to encourage their staff to fulfill their mission(s).

I don’t know if that will help our cause at all. Too often it seems to not help when you point out that government is not doing their job.

But this kind of thing where they make a big deal out of a teenage prank, and certainly the snot-nosed-brats who defaced the seminary building should be charged and corrected and made to make restitution – and I wonder about the parents of those kids who think it is just fine to deface another person’s property for their entertainment, well, I just wonder why when we are victimized by snot-nosed-brats, somehow we are not worthy of the protection of our constitutional rights and privileges and the “brats” are seen to be the victims and the government dives right in to further victimize the actual victims rather than taking to task those who are actually performing criminal acts!

Why is it I wonder that in Utah everyone wants to protect children who crap on their neighbors and assume that the victim of their rude, antisocial behavior – if they don’t dress like a lawyer – must have somehow deserved the abuse, while the rotten kid gets to be a hero and victim rather then being held accountable for their bad behavior.

So, it should be no wonder really that we have to deal with road rage, graffiti, drug abuse and gang crimes when our community encourages anti-social, criminal behavior in local children and persecutes the victims of their crimes.

I suppose it would be good to point out that not only have local agencies not seemed to care about civil and religious rights violations in their community, but also I contacted the AF mayor, city council and pretty much everyone on the list I posted a few days back and only two members of the art council bothered to reply and they both pretty much said that they believed in supporting civil rights, but didn’t plan on supporting mine.

I was pretty surprised to not hear anything from our 4 member city council especially since Federal Law allows the city council to be sued over the police violation of the Religious Land Use Act.

The mayor, typical to American Fork Government leaders apparently, has also decided that he is above responding to my email to him.

The local government makes it pretty clear that they do not consider the human, civil or religious rights of my staff or my rights as a human, community member, religious leader or service provider to have any value whatsoever while their silence in my mind makes them complicit and serves as their unspoken endorsement of these criminal acts against us.

It is epidemic in Utah for people to demand rights for themselves while they actively deny those same rights to others.

Trampling on civil and human rights is considered a right of the majority here and it seems that even Federal officers who are members of that majority (religion) think it is okay too.

If we wanted civil rights and personal freedoms, they seem to be saying, we should be members of their church – since we’re not – we don’t deserve human, civil or religious rights.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. Martin Luther King, Jr.

To read all postings regarding the – Happy Valley Tattoo Massacre’ click here

Amazingly, the one Utah newspaper I didn’t contact, since it is owned by the Mormon Church and I figured they would be typically ambivalent or even hostile to our cause is the only one that has shown interest.

I approached over 50 national and international news agencies and got no more than a “ho hum” response. The Salt Lake City Associated Press Agent seemed to think that if we were not gun toting, polygamous offshoots of the Mormon Church that we were not newsworthy at all.

I have been stunned that these violations of our civil and religious liberties have been seen as so unimportant and non-newsworthy by all of these news editors that I first contacted on Jan 5th by email and then started calling by phone when I got no replies at all.

One of our clients called the Deseret News and the interest and response was pretty immediate.

We were a bit worried about how the paper owned by the church that has condemned tattoos and piercings at their General Conference twice a year since 2000 would treat us in print but we were quite gratified to read an article that we all felt was extremely fair and unbiased.

Deseret News reporter Catherine Smith was in the studio today to interview our staff for what she expects to be a series of articles about our experiences with the American Fork City Government.

I am so impressed with the interest they have shown and really want to thank the Deseret News for being interested.

Also, I want to thank our client who called them and also has done a lot of sharing of our story with others in the community. We really appreciate the help.

Anyway, here is the article.

If you go to the website you can leave comments. I have only read a few of them so far and they have been mostly supportive except a few that are kinda weird.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695246368,00.html

AMERICAN FORK — Not everyone is happy in Happy Valley.

Gregory “Doc” Lowery, owner of Happy Valley Tattoo & Piercing, believes American Fork police trampled his civil rights when they raided his shop in early January looking for what police say were questionable photographs.

Police obtained a search warrant for the shop after a man called police and said his daughter had seen photographs he felt were inappropriate for minors to view, said Lt. Darren Falslev. They executed the search warrant on Jan. 3 and took the pictures, photos of genital piercings, for further investigation. Falslev said police have turned their findings over to the county attorney’s office, which will decide whether to file charges.

Lowery said police took the photos the shop has, which are bound in a binder with “Adult Body Piercings” printed on the side, along with most of the other photos.

“In addition to the two photo albums, they took all the artist’s portfolios,” Lowery said. “(They took) tattoo flash art for ideas of images, they took art off the walls, even religious art.”

Falslev maintains the officers who searched the shop took only what was specified in the search warrant.

Happy Valley Tattoo is a division of Whole Life Ministries, a nondenominational church, and brings in revenue for Lowery to perform charity work.

Falslev said state law maintains pornographic materials shouldn’t be accessible to minors.

Lowery and members of his staff argue that the photos are not pornography but clinical teaching materials that allow them to show customers their work.

“(They’re to) show people we know what we’re doing and can do a good job,” said Shandi Child, an assistant manager.

Both Lowery and Child said that minors don’t generally look at the book with adult piercings and they’ve never had a problem before. The shop now has the books behind the front desk so people have to specifically ask to see them. Before the shop was served with the search warrant, the books were in the open.

Fall and winter are the slow seasons for the tattoo parlor, Lowery said, and employees keep track of everyone who enters the shop. Between eight and 18 people enter the shop a day, Lowery said, a number low enough to remember who comes in. He said employees say a group of four teenagers never came into the shop at the time the teenagers told police they saw the photos — sometime between the end of November and the beginning of December.

The county attorney’s office hadn’t received the case by press time and therefore hadn’t reviewed the case or decided whether to file charges.

To read all postings regarding the – Happy Valley Tattoo Massacre’ click here

To read all postings regarding the – Happy Valley Tattoo Massacre’ click here

Would the dead say that we’ve won any war? 

Peace not war playlist.

To read all postings regarding the – Happy Valley Tattoo Massacre’ click here

Yup, believe it or not, the American Fork Police – Lt. Falslev again, came in to the studio portion of the ministry today and delivered an illegal order which he claimed (but I doubt) was initiated by the local Zoning Enforcement Officer Jim Hardy 801-404-0112.

I say that I doubt Jim knew anything about the order because 1) It seems Lt. Falslev, Chief Call and City Atty Hansen are a gang of 3 (or more) trying to intimidate and harass us till we pack up and leave town and 2) Lt. Falslev told me that when I am in compliance, I likely will find it hard to contact Jim Hardy and so I shouldn’t even try, but rather should just call Lt. Falslev and he will come over to ensure our compliance.

The order called “American Fork City Fix-It” claims under the heading: Violation: Zoning Laws, residential living in commercial zone.

The “Fix-It” order gives us 14 days to comply – meaning to move out.

Of course he is referring to the parsonage in the rear of the Whole Life Ministries church and studio (Happy Valley Tattoo & Piercing) where Reverend Lowrey and his wife live.

This building was designed with a business section in front and an apartment in the rear with garage, back yard, etc. so it is not a commercial area that is being used as a residence.

It is a residence area being used as a residence.

I guess Lt. Falslev and his cronies failed to notice the residences across the street and around the corner that are also in the supposed commercial zone – but apparently are not a problem because…well…because they are not us, I guess.

This is just the next attempt on behalf of the American Fork City government to chase a religion they don’t personally approve of (er…….not Mormon) out of town.

Federally Mandated Rules (from Utah.gov website)

1. Religious Land Uses
In a world where we are getting used to the federal government’s involvement in many areas of our lives, we must accommodate an increasing interest from Washington, D.C., in local land use management. An example of this is the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA),1 a bill co-sponsored by Utah’s own U. S. Senator Orrin Hatch and fellow Senator Ted Kennedy.

RLUIPA basically provides that if the user of land is a church, then no land use regulation can be applied which imposes a“substantial burden” on the religious exercises unless the local government involved demonstrates two things:

1. the regulation furthers a “compelling”government interest;
and
2. the regulation is the “least restrictive” means of achieving
the end desired.

The property user must establish the regulation is a substantial burden. Once that is accomplished, the government entity
imposing the burden must establish the compelling need and that there is no less restrictive means of accomplishing the goal of the regulation.

The local regulator also bears a burden in showing its regulations treat a religious use no more harshly than non-religious uses; the rules do not discriminate against any particular religious uses; no rule acts to eliminate religious uses from a municipality or county; and no rule “unreasonably limits religious assemblies, institutions, or structures within a jurisdiction.”

The law also provides these rules are to be interpreted broadly to protect religious freedom.

The Utah State Legislature enacted a similar statute in 2005, guaranteeing the right to use land for religious purposes would be protected by state, as well as federal law.

These burdens are no small thing. As we discussed in Chapter 4, local regulations typically will be upheld if it is “reasonably
debatable” they advance some public good.

But under RLUIPA, religious uses only can be substantially burdened by regulation if the need for the regulation is “compelling,” which means the city or county must prove the issue involves a significant matter of public safety and health.
The U.S. Supreme Court said that the duty to show a “compelling state interest” to justify a local regulation is “the most demanding test known to constitutional law.”

A federal circuit court of appeals also held in 2003 that members of a local city council could be personally liable for their actions in denying an individual application for permission for religious assembly.

Attorneys’ fees are allowed as if any violation of RLUIPA were a civil rights act violation.

So, if the user of property in your community is a church, be prepared to suspend the normal rules. The real potency of the act is that it gives a religious institution that feels “put upon” by a local land use regulation an immediate appeal to federal court.

This is a very powerful tool, since normal land use claims must go through the state court system only, never receiving what some consider the more sophisticated and unbiased services of a federal judge.

The best advice to all involved in the review and approval of religious land uses is, of course, to engage in an earnest discussion of what can be accommodated without resorting to legal wrangling and court action. Once RLUIPA is understood by all, the issues should be much easier to resolve.

Those working to resolve problems in good will can save time, hassle, and money, including the limited resources of a church.

Well, that is the law regarding Churches and it should easily be apparent that regardless of their pretended friendly manner, the police are inwardly ravening wolves who have no good will in their dealings with Whole Life Ministries.

Of course, anyone who knows Dr. Lowrey knows that his moniker of Doc Loco is not unearned as he does have a permanent disability which also means that the next section regarding the Fair Housing Act also comes in to play.

2.Fair Housing Act
As with religious uses, the U.S. Congress has entered the arena of local land use regulation when housing for those with disabilities is involved.

The federal Fair Housing Act provides that it is unlawful to discriminate in the sale or rental, or to otherwise make unavailable or deny a dwelling to any buyer or renter because of a handicap or impairment.

A local regulation may be found in violation of the act if it is shown to have a “disparate impact” on a particular group of people that the act was enacted to protect.

Another standard in the act is that local rules are in violation if they fail to make “reasonable accommodations,” in allowing people with disabilities an equal opportunity to live in a dwelling.

When these rules are applied, the local government must balance the interests of the person with a disability against the demands of public health, safety, and welfare.

What is forbidden is for local policies or practices to have a discriminatory effect.

The act also has been interpreted to impose the burden of making accommodations on the local government, not on the applicant.

In a Utah case, the court held “the responsibility rested with the city to initiate and make the accommodation.”

Like the federal act related to religious uses, the Fair Housing Act has teeth, allows for immediate access to federal courts, and for legal fees for successful plaintiffs.

I have initiated complaints with the Assistant Attorney General of the United States of America and Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah and Senator Ted Kennedy, co-sponsors of the bill cited.

This action by the City of American Fork does impose a substantial burden on our exercise of religion and is additionally intended to “rattle the cages” of disabled persons.

These “member mafia” are no more than anti-American bullies and creeps who use their civil authority to terrorize law abiding citizens engaged in legal and Constitutionally protected activities, which activities they seek to disrupt with no respect to law or freedom or principles of truth, honesty or justice.

I expect tomorrow to advise Jim Hardy and the City Council of the liability the Chief and Lt. are burdening him with in this matter and my intention to prosecute everyone from the Mayor down to the lunch-lady for their shirking their responsibility to protect citizens from these anti-American and immoral violations of the United States and Utah Constitutions.

If you want to help, you can help yourself to my list of complicit parties and call or email or drop in to visit, though if you drop in on the Police Department, be prepared for arrest, as Lt. Falslev has bragged on several occasions that he can and will lock up anyone for anything, any time he feels like it and I’m sure the Chief feels the same.

Here is where you can access their contact information.

When Jesus said: “Don’t be a Dick.” They apparently were not listening.

One might think that Police Chief Call during his tenure as a Mormon Bishop would have paid some attention to the Jesus he claimed to officially represent!

If they are treating me the way they want to be treated – well, I’m paying close attention.

So here is the view out the front window of the church of residences in the “commercial” zone.

I guess you can decide if the “The local regulator … treat[s] a religious use no more harshly than non-religious uses.”

And of course the city wants to claim that since our some of our patrons donate money when receiving spiritual services that means we are a business and not a church, but I would counter that the Mormon church requires a person to be a “full tithe payer” which means that you must give a full 10% of your annual income in order to qualify to receive a temple recommend which gives you access to the spiritual services and blessings of the Mormon Temples. No “full” tithing – no spiritual temple services – end of story!

In the temple a patron is clothed with a temple garment (underware) that is marked with spiritual marks (to Mormons) and which they are instructed never to remove.

I don’t see much difference in tattoos and piercings compared to temple garments, except that our spiritual markings more intimately represent the individual who wears them and their personal expressions of self and of course ours do not require an instruction to never remove them.

Yes, I hate to break the news, you can’t roll up a tattoo (in order to hide your beliefs to be socially acceptable).

And, to the American Fork Police and City Attorney and those who pull their strings…

I know you are facinated by the fact you have a penis…

But,

Just because you have a dick…

Does not mean you are obligated to be one.

And Best Wishes.

Oh, Jesus says Best Wishes, too.

To read all postings regarding the January 3rd 2008 – Happy Valley Tattoo Massacre’ click here

“They that give up liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty or safety.” -Benjamin Franklin

Some very wonderful people have asked who to call to complain about our treatment at the hands of the fascist bigots of American Fork.

If you call AF City, be prepared to be treated like crap.

If you want to write about your own experience with American Fork corruption when you call them or about your own issue with them, we’d be pleased to have a copy by email or dropped off at the studio.

Thanks so much to everyone for being so supportive. You are all welcome to attend court with me, my plea date is February 22 at the American Fork Courthouse 1st N at 1st E in Downtown AF.

The Jury trial that follows should be a real hum-dinger!

Utah County Attorney Jeffrey R. Buhman 801-851-8026 (claims he has nothing to do with it, but his name tops the warrant)

American Fork City Attorney Tucker Hansen 801-224-2273 (this is the brilliant attorney who is charging us)

American Fork Police Administration 801-763-3020

Chief of Police, Lance Call   lcall@afcity.net

Head of Detective Division, Lt. Darrin Falslev

(these are the two who preferred the charges and have been harassing us and raided us)

American Fork City 801-763-3000 – The Buck Stops Here! The following guys are responsible for the preceding guys.

Mayor, Heber M. Thompson Mayor@AFCity.net

American Fork City Council

Rick Storrs RickStorrs1@Yahoo.com

Shirl LeBaron Shirl@AFCity.net http://www.LeBaronLogic.com

Dale Gunther DGunther@BankAF.com

Heidi Rodeback HeidiR@AFCity.net http://heidirodeback.blogspot.com

Sherry Kramer SKramer@AFCity.net

Zoning Enforcement – Jim Hardy 801-404-0112.

I don’t know if the Arts Council supports such depredations against art but here is the list published on the AFCity website so if you want you can ask them yourself. I’m supposing that since the city published their names and phone numbers (I removed their home addresses) that they expect someone to call now and then.

AMERICAN FORK ARTS COUNCIL

John Pew Chairman/Board member 847-2265 473-5226 johnpew@gmail.com
JaLayne Bangerter Secretary/Board member 756-6465 jalayne.bangerter@gmail.com
Anne Boyer Board member 763-5625 367-3849 anne@themusicschool.us
Sherm Robinson Board member 362-2027 srobinson@lehirollermills.com
Ken Culmone Board member 768-0708 367-2787 kenculmone@juno.com
Donald Ripplinger Board member 756-5531 myrip@digis.net
John Miller Board member 756-0468 756-8547×131 millj704@alpine.k12.ut.us
Heidi Rodeback Ex-officio 404-2494 1 HeidiR@afcity.net
Debby Lauret Ex-officio 756-5110 319-8655 chamber@afcity.net
Lori England Ex-officio 763-3081 735-6518 lori@afcity.net
Lori England Executive Director 763-3081 735-6518 lori@afcity.net
Lela Bartholomew President 756-7200 lela@utwire.com
Betty Brady 1st Vice-president 756-4250 BRADYEVAN@comcast.com
Sydney Thomas 2nd Vice-president 756-3738

Judy Noziska 3rd Vice-president 785-2059 368-0481 ceske5@aol.com
Cindy Holindrake Costumer 756-8254 dholindrake@afconnect.com
Ex Member A.F. does not support Fascism – asked to have name removed 7/08.
Elisabeth Luntz Marketing Specialist 763-8172 885-4334 L_elisabeth@msn.com
Sharalee Welch Public Relations 770-4404 sharaleewelch@hotmail.com
Paul Dunkley Technical Director 756-6441 361-9114 dunklepa@uvsc.edu
Irene Tullis Children’s Choir 225-2907 785-4979×36 homedat@sisna.com
Merrilee Hunter Community Theater 492-3699 362-3072 merrileebarratt@yahoo.com
Gina Jones Concerts in the Park 756-1508 372-3389 gkjones81@msn.com
Karen Schaack Humanities 763-0784 836-4389 karenschaack@yahoo.com
Maxine Steele Symphony 756-2330 psteele123@yahoo.com
Lorrie Stark Timpanogos Chorale 756-8359 661-2927 clairedelune@comcast.net
Wendy Parker Visual Arts 756-1165 wkparker3636@aol.com
Judy Noziska Youth Theater 785-2059 368-0481 ceske5@aol.com
Shazelle Terry Wasatch Winds 756-3789 330-2186 shazellet@earthlink.net
Melanie Marsh Chief of Staff 763-3000 melanie@afcity.net
Cindy Holindrake Cemetery Pageant 756-8254 dholindrake@afconnect.com
Lorraine Vance Literacy 756-7175 492-3593 lfvance@networld.com
Cathie Denney Quilting 756-9112 cooki801@afconnect.com
Kristi / Laree Library Scheduler 763-3072
Ted Strong Senior Citizen Scheduler 763-3090
Walton Farmer Veteran’s Hall Scheduler 756-3222
M. Ryan Taylor Classic Voice 492-6284 mryan@choirworks.com
Jayme/Steve Smith Music Theater 687-5246 jayme@soundsmithmusic.com
Meika Boogert Music Together 368-6124 meikab286@gmail.com
Cristina Peterson Simple Earth Foundation 492-1501 420-5764 cristina@simpleearth.com
Alan Boyer Utah Premiere Brass 763-5625 830-5770 alanboyerusa@gmail.com

To read all postings regarding the January 3rd 2008 – Happy Valley Tattoo Massacre’ click here

“They that give up liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty or safety.” -Benjamin Franklin

I’ll let Marilyn Manson give this morning’s message.

Fight

Personal Jesus

My daughter Jamie suggested today that our current issues with the American Fork Police – and the City Attorney, Tucker Hanson, of course, who is pressing the charges even though a simple reading of the law proves we are not in violation, is turning into more drama than a Maury Povich show, which our family calls “Who’s The Daddy” after one of his most popular themes along with “My 10 year old daughter is a prostitute/wants to have a baby”.

Really, this thing is escalating rapidly and it is just so insipid!

I know it bothers people when status quo churches are taken to task and the temptation is strong to deny any wrong doing performed in the name of religion especially when it’s your religion, but the fact is Mormons are persecuting and prosecuting their neighbors for not being Mormon or being in line with the Mormon Church.

Their primary response to our protest of their crimes against us are that if we don’t like it we should move out of Utah.

So now, only Mormons have a right to live in Utah?

Why did they agree to join the United States of America if they really meant to keep Utah a Mormon only State?

Why did they write a Utah State Constitution that reinforces religious rights and freedoms in even stronger terms than the United States Constitution if they only meant it to apply to the Mormon practice of religion?

Why don’t they practice their own religion and take a look at their own articles of faith, especially #11?

Local parents disrespect their neighbors and teach their children directly or by example to likewise disrespect their neighbors, to lie, cheat and steal.

In Utah, the “screw your neighbor state” this is considered appropriate and completely in line with Utah’s pioneer heritage philosophies of “Lying for the Lord” and “Beating the Devil at his own game” which gained general popularity during the presidencies of Brigham Young and John Taylor as the Mormon Church and it’s members attempted to decieve the United States Government (and people) regarding their marriages and murders and take retribution for Utah’s Government Seizure by the Feds.

So, these two boys last May lied about their ages so convincingly that a nice girl lost her job and was charged, convicted and paid a fine for being conned by them.

I hope they are enjoying their tattoos!

Then when they got busted (or bragged) to/by their parents, they lied again and said that they just filled out paperwork (didn’t mention claiming to be adults) and were not required to show ID.

Of course their ID was photocopied on the back of the releases – and why should the lying stop with the studio when dad needs to be lied to also.

The studio has fewer signs posted now than then (I despise policy signs) but all that was removed was I considered excessive redundancy.

We had two signs on the door that told minors that they could not recieve tattoos at all (parents can’t consent in Utah County for tattoos) and that minors were denied entrance without a parent or legal guardian.

We also had several signs indoors outlining the same policies and on the release the age related right to recieve services must be verified in writing several times before services can be rendered – as well as providing Government Issued, Photo ID which is photocopied on the back of the release for a permanant record.

All of these things are preventive measures of our own.

The law only requires that we verify age, not that we take only government issued ID or that we post any signs or that we require court papers to prove guardianship – those are all things we do over and above the law to try to be good neighbors.

All of these policies have been instituted due to Utah children and too often parents as well, attempting to obtain services that are in violation of the local laws, showing total disregard and disrespect for both the law and the law abiding status of the studio and it’s staff.

They don’t care if they make us break the law, just as long as they get their tattoo or piercing – that is all that matters to them!

And they feel confident that if they get busted, parents, neighbors and law enforcement will believe that they were somehow victims of the evil tattoo people – and we all know that tattoo people just live to break laws and entice innocent little children into behaviors that their parents disapprove of – um……though the parents practice those behaviors themselves (lying, deceiving) with profound regularity.

Then, some “adult” woman throws a tantrum in our studio and throws a phone at a staff member. She feels she has a right to do that, because after all, we are just tattoo people.

The police do a crap-ass semblance of an investigation and basically do nothing in spite of my demand that she be charged with assault.

The American Fork Policeman that responded to my call even told me that if I performed the same behavior in the Police Department as she did at our church that I would not be charged with assault!

I won’t be surprised if you think that is a crock of shit like I do – and later (much later) his boss, Lt. Liddiard, agreed with you and me on what would really happen.

But, what did happen, since it was us and not them?

Nothing.

In the minds of the “member mafia” Police and City Attorney, it was just what we deserved – to be assaulted – cause after all – we practice a different religion than them and we like tattoos (which they like too) and their “prophet” says tattoos and piercings (except for permanant makeup and one piercing in each ear for women only) are a desecration to the holy temple of their boob and butt job, 300 lb. carcass’s.

Did someone say hypochristianity?

Then, some brat get’s her visiting mom to let her get her lip pierced and Utah dad disapproves as it reflects on the local perception of his personal “holiness” and he decides to take his frustration out on the studio that performed a perfectly legal service since he can’t take it out on his ex-wife or daughter.

You always lose when you fight with a teenage daughter.

Then when she wants more services, but mom is back home in another state and dad won’t consent to the service, she tries to bully my staff into providing the service illegally or selling her materials to do it herself and when refused, enlists dad’s assistance to get revenge on the studio that wouldn’t let her get her way.

Dad doesn’t care that his daughter is a liar when he has an opportunity to be a hero and close down a church he and his church don’t personally approve of.

Since he is a liar and lives in the screw your neighbor State of Utah, he knows just what to do to make himself feel better – fuck over the people at the tattoo studio.

He doesn’t care that we have family to feed and house, bills to pay and honest, law abiding lives to lead and that it is only the reflection in his child of his own dishonesty that riles him so.

No, he doesn’t give a crap about anyone but himself – good Mormon Christian that he is.

The police meanwhile just haven’t been able to get a good case against that damn tattooing church (since we haven’t broken any laws) and jump at the chance to invent some bullshit charges against the studio staff.

Maybe they know they can’t make any of the charges stick, but it gives them the opportunity to harass and intimidate and terrorize the simple artists who practice their religion and exercise their God given talents helping “people who want and are legally entitled to their services” to enhance their spirituality in a manner not any different really than the wearing of a cross or a CTR ring (Mormons often wear a “Choose the Right” emblem) or fancy temple underwear with spiritual markings on them.

The only real difference of course is that it takes a lot of commitment to face the discomfort (or fear of it) of a tattoo/piercing and the permanence of that personal and spiritual form of self-expression.

So the children are lying, the parents are lying, the police are lying and the city attorney is lying.

They all are practicing fraud and deceit in an effort to appear holy.

Do you get this crap???

None of them care in the least that they are breaking the law and violating other people’s religious and civil rights.

None of them care in the least that the people they are so viciously persecuting are law abiding citizens, practicing their Constitutionally protected rights to live their own religion (instead of Mormonism) and exercise the talents and gifts that God gave them in a legal and socially conscious manner.

We go to great lengths, far beyond what is required by law – though the law cannot require a church to do any of these things anyway – (if you don’t like it – go burn the Constitution, ok) to try to protect the community from itself.

I understand how hurt other Mormons, those in State and Federal Law Enforcement, who are probably genuinely nice people, maybe even Christian in spite of their church mandated bigotry and hypocrisy, are when they see how awful their Mormon fellows behave and what a bad example they are to the world.

Mormon “prophet” Gordon Hinkley after all has only ever worked in the Public Relations Department of the Mormon Church so it is not such a surprise that public image has become more important to Mormons than honesty and Christian practice.

I think GBH is a bigot, hypocrite and tyrant.

Just the kind of church leader that Jesus hated.

And also those who follow his lead in total disregard of their claim to be “The Only Authorized Representatives of Jesus Christ” to the world and beyond.

It is also very hard for County and State and perhaps even local Federal Law Enforcement to overcome their own religious bias, since they are all Mormons themselves and defend a different church against religious discrimination and civil rights violations by members of their own church.

I sure appreciate those who do overcome such difficulty, but it has been obvious the turmoil they go through.

And unfortunately, not all of them do overcome their bias and they then join the persecutors in spite of their job as protectors of the Constitution and preservers of peace.