Skin Deep Freedom

In a move that shows that West Virginia does have some company at the bottom of the U.S. (freedom-pursuing company, but company nonetheless), Oklahoma has now become the last state to legalize tattoos. My favorite line: "Regardless of one's personal views about tattoos, the plain fact is that tattooing is prevalent," Gov. Brad Henry said.

Fantastic. Not that tattoos should be outlawed, but should the fact that everyone disobeys the law be reason to repeal it? Maybe this is just an example of a particularly ill-suited law; disobeying this one doesn't impede upon anyone else's rights. If theft became popular, you'd have some private uproar for the upholding of the rules.

(The article doesn't make it clear, but I believe it was illegal to give a tattoo, as opposed to having one. After all, I'd put good money on the odds of one University of Oklahoma athlete having a tattoo on the playing surface in Norman in the last 40 years.)