So, dancehall artist Vybz Kartel might have a pierced tongue, so what? It’s his tongue and if it pleases him and his woman, why shouldn’t he. I think what we should be really critical about is the lyrical content of his music. Personally, I shudder at the thought of getting any part of my body pierced but then again that’s just my preference.

Too often we get caught up in others opinions and believes, when in reality it really does not matter. We are influenced by our elders and piers into believing that something may be good or bad or that certain actions have meanings which may not be so. For instance I was told that if you had a tattoo then automatically you were ‘bad’. I also remember when men first started wearing earrings; I was told that homosexuals wore them to signal to other homosexuals. Whether that was so at the time or not, the fact is that now it’s just a fashion statement. Another example is the anklet. I remember being told that only prostitutes wore them. If that was true now, then most of my friends are prostitutes. I don’t think so.

The sad thing is that many of these perceptions stay with us. To date the biggest turn off for me is a man wearing earrings and I still will not wear an anklet even though I known they are simply fashion statements. I try not to judge people when I see them with a tattoo however somewhere at the back of my mind the thought is there that this is someone I need to be careful of.

Vybz Kartel and his probable pierced tongue is another of these things which is really no bodies business but his own. My greatest concern is that he is very influential on our young people. Body piercing can be very dangerous if not done in an hygienic environment with sterile equipment and by a professional.

I will admit that I’m not a member of the ‘in crowd’. I do believe however that it’s important for us to try not to allow preconceived notions cause us to judge one another negatively or cause negative behaviour. We all must be informed and make informed decisions.

Nuff Love