The way the different opinions on this thread are starting to gel together appears to be as follows -
Those who believe that a tattoo is a sign of personal rebellion and a lack of care about the opinions of potential employers particularly, and society at large.
Those who believe that tattoos are an individual choice and right, and to discriminate against tattood peopple on the basis of perceived reasons and personality traits amounts to predjudice.
I am firmly in the second camp, but as my posts have underlined, I am not naiive enough to imagine that employers willl not consider potentially detrimental effects of the presence of a tattooed employee on their customers, and their business.
However, I am also mindful that any kind of predjudice only maintains credence if no-one makes any sort of stand against it.
I hark back to my teenage years, when long hair was seen as the absolute antithesis of a willingness to conform. Now that the 'non-conformists' from that generation are the movers, shakers, and of course employers now, such a notion seems ludicrous - no-one bats an eyelid at the myriad hairstyles worn by men and women, the only edict being a perfectly reasonably health-based one, that people with long hair have it netted if dealing with food preparation.
i am sure than when the current generation of 'young people today' filter through, that tattoos will be seen as normal and acceptable in society, because this is the way society has evolved since aincient times.
Todays' rebellion is tomorrow's normality.