One of the most pronounced signals of the advancing American decadence is the disgusting view of what the young rock-n-roll generations are doing to their bodies. Well, it isn’t only the young, because many middle-agers are doing it, too. But it is mostly the teen-through-30s rockers who are “uglifying” themselves, if I may be permitted to coin a word.

Years ago, it was no surprise to find a seagoing man come home with tattoos on his arms, back, or legs. And no one complained loudly — as maybe they should have. But today, thanks to the evil influence of rock musicians — and I bite my lip as I use the term “musicians” in this case — body-piercing and tattooing has become not just a tradition but, it seems, a requirement.

If it were possible to get a law passed banning all tattoos and body piercings, I would be happy to get behind such a campaign and help get it approved. But I realize that such a move would not be constitutional, so it would be wasting time to try it.

However, there must be a way to stop this dastardly trend that challenges civilization and return our young people, at least, to sanity and to persuade them to regard their bodies as something the Lord gave them to preserve unsullied. Let’s face it: No matter how artistic the tattooers may be — or assumed to be by the tattooed — any carving up of the skin to portray anything from animals to humans is terribly ugly and deserves to be banned.

The tattoos are bad enough. I think the body piercings are even worse. They are not only ugly; they are dangerous, and the medical profession should have declared war on them years ago. No matter what may be said in defense of the piercings, they are an abomination and an invitation to a body and skin ailment.

Thanks again to the Rock Era influence, we’ve seen pierced nostrils with rings or beads in them, pierced tongues (Ouch!), pierced belly-buttons, and even pierced vaginal labia (and even penises, for goodness’ sake!). What else is there left to be pierced and embellished with rings, precious stones, or some other trinket? Have these young people lost their minds?

Now, having said all that, what can the rest of us really do about it without curbing the constitutional rights of these rockers to mutilate their bodies with tattoos and hanging adornments?

First, of course, I would hope that the medical profession would take a strong stand against the piercing practice and the tattoos and campaign to get them stopped for health reasons. Then I would hope that all the news media, including TV and the news magazines, joined the campaign to demonstrate what foul practices tattooing and body piercings are.

Parents of these rockers should also join the campaign and crack down on their youngsters if they get the mutilation urge. Girls especially should speak their minds, since it is obvious that young male rockers get tattooed and pierce their body parts because too many female youngsters think “it’s cute” or “manly.”

Those who justify the foul practice “because the aborigines do it” should be reminded that our civilization has progressed far beyond the aboriginal standard. I have one last horrifying thought on the subject: If we don’t stop the miserable practices of tattooing and body piercings, where will it lead us? What are the next steps in the mutilation parade?