Besides her being a really wonderful person, who has done nothing wrong? 

She is being charged with 4 second degree felonies of distributing “materials harmful to a minor”.  There is nothing pornographic in our tattoo studio, just the usual tattoo and piercing photos and some flash.  If found guilty she could be sent to prison for 20 years.

If they find her guilty it will mean that the photographs of tattoos and piercings and flash that the police took from us will be considered pornographic.  Once a judgment is made in the courts here in Utah it can be used to decide other similar cases no matter what state you live in.

If they win our situation can happen to you.  At any time your local government can get their panties in a pinch and decides they want to make political points they can do so by using your tattoo shop.  Art is not absolutely covered by the American Constitution as freedom of speech.  If you don’t believe me check out this website - http://www.tjcenter.org/ArtOnTrial/index.html

Shandi’s defense is going to cost at least $6000.00. We have previous donations of $300 (thank you to those who have already contributed) and I am personally putting $1700 in the pot to make the $2000 retainer this week so she can feel better about having secured her attorney.

But that leaves $4000 not covered.  Utah is not a great market for tattoos and we barely break even month to month.  If our studio has to cover this by ourselves I will  get behind on my rent and eventually have to shut down and sell all of my personal belonging so I can move away.

This would make the fascist pigs that are doing this happy, as our being forced to leave is a win for them, even if she isn’t convicted.

If everyone would contribute just $1 this would no longer be a problem… $1 to save a beautiful nice person from being labeled a pornographer for the rest of her life… $1 for you tattoo artists to fight for the right to have photos of your work and flash without being censored... $1 to keep the number one shop in Utah County open.

I am sending this to the 1800 people I know online.  If you can’t afford to donate $1, please pass this on to others who can.

Donate Here - http://happyvalleytattoo.blogspot.com/

Shandi’s Myspace page - http://profile.myspace.com/211475261

See some of the art in question - http://locokazoo.com/2008/03/18/why-you-should-contribute-to-shandi%e2%80%99s-legal-defense/