LOL @ this thread.
I think everyone needs to calm down a bit and not get so uptight about their respective careers. It is true, that here in LA you can find thousands of unprofessional massage therapists, that doesn't mean that it's like that everywhere else.
As mentioned, there are other professions that are not always taken seriously. I personally love a good chiropractor when I have an injury to my back, yet many people still view them as quacks and not deserving of recognition in the medical field.
I'm a certified auto mechanic(now working in a different field), yet I don't find it offensive when people refer to mechanics as being dishonest scumbags. I know that there are some dishonest scumbag mechanics out there that make the rest look bad. Hell, I even think that most mechanics are dishonest or incompetent. Big deal. Live with it, or get a new career. Quite frankly, we will always have detractors towards whatever our personal careers are. It's just the way it is.