If you like walking around with your pants on the ground you better watch your saggy-britches-back in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana.
The community has recently passed an ordinance which outlaws the low-hanging look referred to as “sagging.” The measure passed on an 8-1 vote and specifically makes it a crime, “for any person to appear in public view or in a public place wearing pants, skirts or other clothing below the waist which expose the skin or undergarments.”
If you’re caught with your pants down, the police have the authority to assess fines. A first offense can cost you $50, a second would run an offender $100 while subsequent violations will continue to be $100 in addition to 16 hours of community service.
Council member Russell Hornsby told Yahoo! Shine:
“Hopefully, it’ll get these young men to pull up their pants.”
Fellow fashionista and council member John Navy proposed the ordinance after he stated there was a serious demand from his constituents to do something about what they felt was an out of control saggy bottom boys situation. Navy did have a little problem with the “below the waist” wording of the ordinance. “My understanding was that it was below the butt. I need to look at that again. If it’s below your butt and underwear is showing, that’s not proper.”
Beryl Amedée was the lone dissenting vote, “I’m absolutely not a fan of this style. However, I don’t think the government should legislate style,” she said.
Hornsby added that he had trepidations while considering the measure. “I was skeptical, and had a lot of sleepless nights. It may be against the constitution but if we can turn around a couple of young men it would be worth it.”
Many other municipalities already have laws in the books in regards to this style that apparently offends so many. Heck, Albany, Georgia, hauled in about $4,000 in fines in 2011 alone by fining the droopers.
The origins of sagging is a point of much debate. The most common-held belief is that the style originated in the U.S. prison system as inmates were prohibited from wearing belts because they could be used as a weapon or as a tool to self-harm. Or, prisoners were simply provided with ill-fitting pants. This theory has often been disputed by inmates who claim that the wearing of loose fitting pants would constitute the breaking of rules, resulting in punishment.
What’s your opinion of this decision? Should the popular look be something that is legislated by law or does government need to leave this alone?
Photo: FayesVision/WENN.com
