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The subversion of sagging pants.

In order to stem the tide of dress offensive to cultural norm, the mayor of Forest Park, a Chicago suburb, has proposed government action. The proposal would amend the “indecent conduct ordinance” to prohibit wearing pants or shorts falling more than three inches below a person’s hips, thus exposing a person’s undergarments or skin.

The village council discussion did not address whether citations, carrying a fine of up to $1000, would be issued subjectively or an objective protocol for measurement would be required. Questions might arise such as: How does an officer determine the apex of the potential offender’s hips from which to measure? In addition to a firearm, baton, communication gear, handcuffs and taser, will police be required to carry a tape measure?

Mayor Calderone described acceptable dress as: “when a majority of journalists, particularly weather newscasters on TV — when I see them with their pants halfway down, then I will believe that it’s generally acceptable.”

One must wonder whether Mayor Calderone also views only ideas from the “we-know-best” gentry acceptable as well. Or, perhaps, the city council wishes to be judged upon the volume ordinances it passes.

As succeeding generations have shocked their parents by the Charleston era, swing music, hip- gyrating Elvis, mop heads, hard rock and rap, it should come as no surprise that today’s younger generation would shock some. In prior times, as shocked as some might have been, society harbored an innate respect for individuality. With the encroachment of the nanny state, has our respect for liberty been squeezed from the nation’s soul?

What would the city council propose doing with someone arrested for showing 3 ½ inches of underwear who could not pay the fine? Would they place the offender in overcrowded jails, already packed with too many young people, and subject them to hard core criminal training?

I find myself most often wearing a tie during the day; it’s as cultural as some may wear low-hanging pants. If the “we-know-best” gentry running the country decide wearing a tie is out of vogue…….   Where will it stop?

 

Have a fulfilling and profitable day,

W C (Bill) Augustine, author of Atlas Rising

Sequel “For the Common Good” soon to be released

12 Responses

  1. Linda Nitzschke

    I’m with the mayor on this one. I don’t see the low-riding pants thing needing to be respected as just being part of individuality…esp. cuz so many men/boys of the relatively same age are doing the low-riding pants thing the exact same way….that’s individuality? Just because kids usually do something supposedly to shock elders, doesn’t mean there should be no limits whatsoever. So, I would support the mayor but would insist it be limited it to the most blatant cases….which, of course, would need to be defined a bit more exactly than “blatant.” I’m not sure the fine is appropriate at $1000, but if they can’t pay whatever the fine ends up being….then have them do the community service thing. If they refuse that, then put them in a cell with a book, paper, and a pen (no phone) ’til they’ve read the book and made a decent effort to write a report on it. Dr. Carson would approve of that !!

    PS: I don’t see this as being an addition to the nanny state. It may seem that way, however, due to the fact that there are too many other things going on that really are adding to a nanny state….which should be rejected….and, if not for all that other stuff, this anti-low-riding pants thing would probably not seem quite so promotional of a nanny state.

    Reply
    • Tom Simpson

      Long overdue. Even though it’s trying to change youth behavior by fiat, it is a positive way to back up the parents even if it isn’t meant to. Mom and Dad are up against popular opinion and pop culture without the knowhow to combat it. I have a 17 year old daughter. It’s like sledding uphill, especially when their eyes roll back in their head in response to “another lecture.” We had some gems when growing up but we never went almost butt naked like the boys are doing today. I give thanks to the girls for not going along with the boys on this one. I saw a young man almost get hit by a car when he crossed the street in traffic. He couldn’t move fast enough to get out of the way because his cargo pants were practically down around his knees. Is there a Rapper somewhere responsible for starting this trend?

      Reply
      • Martinidick

        I say, let them wear their pants down to their knees and trip and fall whenever possible. Darwin’s theory will take care of it.

  2. Tom Simpson

    ps. the new law should not come with a fine or jail time. That’s ludicrous. But it should come with an order to visit the Chicago science museum or public library under supervision of course. So they get that one on one relationship going in the process. That way our young baggy pants men may be given the opportunity to see life through the eyes of Albert Einstein and Martin Luther King.

    Reply
  3. James

    Perhaps they should fine plumbers $2000 when the crack of their ass hangs out of their pants.

    Reply
  4. James

    And women who wear pants that say “juicy” across their butt. They should fine them too. And out the mothers in jail who let their teenage daughters do it too.

    Reply
    • Donna

      More government intrusion in what should be a personal preference. What’s next? Fines for cleavage or short skirts? Oh no that will never happen. I don’t personally approve or care much for the look however, I don’t have to look at it. It is none of my business and it is not the business of government policy either. There are much more pressing issues at hand for these policy makers. How about focusing on improving the economy of the poor and middle class by creating jobs that pay more than minimum wage.

      Reply
  6. debbie

    The mayor has nothing better to do then come up with ridiculous laws? Free country my a**

    Reply
  7. Walt Griffith

    Some of those pants are sewn to the “underwear”, which may be held in place with a belt. The belt may be concealed under a jacket or shirt. Will this provide grounds for a warrantless search?

    Reply
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