I’ve done a lot of thinking about the First Amendment lately.

Championing busking rights will do that to a girl. Seeing in action how strongly we’re protected when we want to say what’s on our minds has been the most rewarding surprise throughout this whole writing of a city ordinance process. Freedom of speech and expression is literally brought up every few sentences at the meetings and the might of those words and what consequences and compromises they bring are more apparent to me than ever.

I say what I want to an internet audience every day and don’t think twice about it. Imagining a mid-2010 without daily Coochifications of the news, or a mid-2000s without Bushifications of the same, doesn’t scare me. That’s because I can’t imagine it. Fox News can go away forever and I’m a happy camper, but that’s personal opinion. If Fox News went away because Obama said so, that’d be another story and likely something I’d physically fight to allow on air. Context is sometimes key.

Driving home yesterday, Talk of the Nation was doing their 9,240th show on exiting Iraq and something hit me. Blogging and busking and all the rest of it are protected by our men and women in uniform. I know that’s obvious and simple. I’ll admit I can be stereotypical when it comes to the military (which I’m sure harkens back to “Navy dudes” at Bar Norfolk in my under 21 years.)

The irony that a group buffed up and buzzcut, dressed alike and marching in step are the same group protecting purple dreadlocks and lesbian orgies and freakin’ Westboro Baptist Church hit me like a ton of bricks. Not everyone joins the military to escape nowhere-jobs in middle America, or to live out 9/11 revenge or Rambo fantasies. Some people really join an institution that will strip much of their individual expression away just so others can continue to speak out and express.

I’m artsy and into peace. Guns and aggression and chains of command kind of freak me out. I never understood the idea of volunteering for the military, never thought of something I (personally) would fight or die to defend. And suddenly, at the age of thirty, I get it. Oil or buildings or possessions don’t concern me. If all our riches went away, I’d happily go live on the Appalachian Trail as long as I could read and wear what I wanted. And I’d fight for my right to do that. And I appreciate I don’t have to.

Speaking of Freedom of Expression

A recent Pilot story about our first tattoo convention has brought out the kinds of comments I honestly thought we were past in 2011. Allow me to share some of the recent expressions our neighbors in the 757 have shared online and then utilize my own rights to freely respond:

This bear wants to eat some commentors on The Pilot. (Art | Tony Scambony)

Wane on tattoos: “Did you have to put that picture in the morning paper, I was eating breakfast and almost threw up, that’s nasty.”

If pictures of tattoos make you throw up, I encourage you to take a look at the works of Robert Mapplethorpe to strengthen your reflexes. Then next year at tattoo convention time, you’ll be adding extra sugar to those Cocoa Puffs and crunching right along.

Jeffreyr88753 on tattoos: “To each his/her own but don’t expect me to hire you to be the public face of my company and don’t expect me to be ok with you dating my son or daughter.”

I hope some chino wearing Ken doll sweeps your pitiful mind off its feet then actually wants to date your son and daughter at the same time. By the way, your daughter has a tattoo already, you just can’t see it.

In all seriousness, though, this is the perfect example of First Amendment compromise. Tattoos are expression. Commenting to a website read by thousands that tattoos make you want puke is as well. My joking on those idiots who equate ink with delinquency or irresponsibility (or worse-there are comments that have been deleted by the Pilot due to racist undertones)? That’s common sense, geezers.

To make you feel all this First Amendment sparkle, I present you a classic Madonna interpretation:

In other news…

Virginia Named Number One Family Tourist Destination

Until they get here and see all the tattoos.

Norfolk: Spike Lee’s Kinda Joint?

Apparently so. He’s in town today and tomorrow filming a documentary-style ad campaign for MSNBC. I’m impressed and wish I knew where they were filming.

A Quarter of Hampton Roads Mortgages Underwater

24% actually. May as well be underwater figuratively since we’re literally headed that way too.  Nevada’s stats are 65% if that makes you feel any better.

Original Disney and Warner Bros. Cartoon Art for Sale in Va Beach

How cool! The illustrator responsible for the classic Grinch, as well as a collaborator on such classic characters as the dalmatians from 101 Dalmatians, Bugs Bunny, Roadrunner, and Animaniacs lived in Virginia Beach. His widow is selling some original works, including sketches of a little baby Bambi. My heart just melted a little.

Today is Ash Wednesday

This means Lent is starting. I’m not Catholic but have practiced Lent for about ten years because I like the empowerment it gives me at the end. Living without something you didn’t really need in the first place is much easier when you know it’s only until Easter. In years past I’ve given up cliched things like chocolate and beer and red meat. I’ve done more personal ones like People magazine or Tropical Smoothie (turns out $5 a day on fruit and styrofoam aren’t required for daily life.) It’s already 9:10 am and I don’t know what I’m giving up this year, but it sure as heck isn’t coffee! Hit me up with ideas, people.