NationStates Jolt Archive

Mind boggling?

Cities cracking down on saggy pants (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070916/ap_on_fe_st/saggy_britches)

TRENTON, N.J. - It's a fashion that started in prison, and now the saggy pants craze has come full circle — low-slung street strutting in some cities may soon mean run-ins with the law, including a stint in jail.

Proposals to ban saggy pants are starting to ride up in several places. At the extreme end, wearing pants low enough to show boxers or bare buttocks in one small Louisiana town means six months in jail and a $500 fine. A crackdown also is being pushed in Atlanta. And in Trenton, getting caught with your pants down may soon result in not only a fine, but a city worker assessing where your life is headed.
Although I strongly agree with seat belt laws......this is just plain silly.

Only in America?

Poll coming....

In Soviet Russia, pants pull YOU up!

I agree... this is just silly. I think that wearing pants that are falling off is silly, but if you are goofy enough to want to do it, it is entirely up to you. Legislating fashion can only lead to a very bad place.

If there was never a ban on the mullet or bell bottoms then there shouldn't be a ban on the sag. It will go on its own when the time comes and 50 year old dudes will be embarrassed that they once rolled that way.

Absolutely insane. Goddamn this fucking police state.

We waste so much goddamn tax money putting people in jail for the dumbest shit.

I agree... this is just silly. I think that wearing pants that are falling off is silly, but if you are goofy enough to want to do it, it is entirely up to you. Legislating fashion can only lead to a very bad place.
Absolutely.

It's the most racist fucking thing too. There's no way in hell they'll be arresting white, middle-aged plumbers.

If there was never a ban on the mullet or bell bottoms then there shouldn't be a ban on the sag. It will go on its own when the time comes and 50 year old dudes will be embarrassed that they once rolled that way.

Gawd where were you back then? And what about Spandex?!?!?! If you had suggested a law against it back then (or at least a maximum weight threshold) I still might be able to eat Jello!

I wonder what they'd do to some of my friends who are tall enough that wearing pants at the underwear line can't happen without an extreme amount of shopping in specialty stores for pants that are excessively long.

I think they should ban bikinis too. And short skirts. And tube tops. And short shorts. And wife beaters.

Seriously, there is no legal justification behind this. They are not indecently exposing themselves, nor are they a danger to anyone, unless you consider fashion designers that faint at the site of such atrocious behavior.

Gawd where were you back then? And what about Spandex?!?!?! If you had suggested a law against it back then (or at least a maximum weight threshold) I still might be able to eat Jello!

Wearing a mullet, my friend. It might be why I started balding at 19-my hair decided if I wasn't going to use it responsibly, I didn't deserve hair.

Wearing a mullet, my friend. It might be why I started balding at 19-my hair decided if I wasn't going to use it responsibly, I didn't deserve hair.


quoted for lulz

I personally think the saggy pants thing is really fucking stupid, but that's their own personal choice. A 500 dollar fine? I mean come on, if he want's like a total idiot let him do it.

What I want to know is how the sagging pants fashion got started. No one wants to see your damn butt crack or underwear. Pull it up!

That being said, I do not approve of any legislation that dictates what we can wear and can't wear.

Bullshit. Would they fine someone $500 if he was wearing only boxers?

If so, then that's extraordinarily stupid as well.

Dont we also have a law banning redicoulus laws or something, because this just plain rediculous.

Its also a freedom of expression, which we are constitutionaly protected. So if they trip and fall down a hill due to those pants, its their problem not the governments.

As "happy bunny" or whoever he is says:

"I love dumb people, its fun to watch them trip" :D

In the ghetto, poverty is common. In an effort to cut family costs, parents resorted to hand-me-downs to clothe their children. Hand-me-downs always seem to need growing into (ie are saggy). Over time this became the norm in ghetto culture, and baggy clothing became what was expected (not that they really had a choice, but you do end up being most comfortable in what you wear most). When rap music began to rise, the artist, most of which growing up in the ghettos, brought their baggy clothing with them. They had gotten used to baggy clothing and liked it, so they spent their money on it. They showed off their status with bright colors as these tended to be quite faded in hand-me-downs. Nonetheless, baggy clothes are cool because rap start wore hand-me-downs as children.

America could of dodged this if it had better managed inner-city poverty, but I guess it is just suffering the consequences of its inaction.

I shall now start a belt bus.

Yes a Belt Bus that'll go to inner cities neighborhood all across the country, giving away free belts to all the kids with saggy pants! :D

What I want to know is how the sagging pants fashion got started. No one wants to see your damn butt crack or underwear. Pull it up!In the ghetto, poverty is common. In an effort to cut family costs, parents resorted to hand-me-downs to clothe their children. Hand-me-downs always seem to need growing into (ie are saggy). Over time this became the norm in ghetto culture, and baggy clothing became what was expected (not that they really had a choice, but you do end up being most comfortable in what you wear most). When rap music began to rise, the artist, most of which growing up in the ghettos, brought their baggy clothing with them. They had gotten used to baggy clothing and liked it, so they spent their money on it. They showed off their status with bright colors as these tended to be quite faded in hand-me-downs. Nonetheless, baggy clothes are cool because rap start wore hand-me-downs as children.

America could of dodged this if it had better managed inner-city poverty, but I guess it is just suffering the consequences of its inaction.

I shall now start a belt bus.

Yes a Belt Bus that'll go to inner cities neighborhood all across the country, giving away free belts to all the kids with saggy pants! :DThey wear belts if you haven't noticed. What they do need is pants that fit properly.

In the ghetto, poverty is common. In an effort to cut family costs, parents resorted to hand-me-downs to clothe their children. Hand-me-downs always seem to need growing into (ie are saggy). Over time this became the norm in ghetto culture, and baggy clothing became what was expected (not that they really had a choice, but you do end up being most comfortable in what you wear most). When rap music began to rise, the artist, most of which growing up in the ghettos, brought their baggy clothing with them. They had gotten used to baggy clothing and liked it, so they spent their money on it. They showed off their status with bright colors as these tended to be quite faded in hand-me-downs. Nonetheless, baggy clothes are cool because rap start wore hand-me-downs as children.

America could of dodged this if it had better managed inner-city poverty, but I guess it is just suffering the consequences of its inaction.

I'd like to respectfully disagree here.

The trend started in prisons.

The reason is that belts are not allowed in prison due to their wondrous capacity as aids in suicide nor do clothes tend to be individually fitted per prisoner.

Mind boggling?

Cities cracking down on saggy pants (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070916/ap_on_fe_st/saggy_britches)


Although I strongly agree with seat belt laws......this is just plain silly.

Only in America?

Poll coming....

One town in New Jersey banned swearing so I'm not shocked for this one. Good lord it's unnecessary.

Haha, as if they've got enough room in the jails for that sort of stuff.

I'd like to respectfully disagree here.

The trend started in prisons.

The reason is that belts are not allowed in prison due to their wondrous capacity as aids in suicide nor do clothes tend to be individually fitted per prisoner.

I heard it was started in prison too, but not because they didn't have belts, but because some of the inmates were showing off the goods if you know what I mean.

You know, if that what started the saggy pants thing, I would just laugh my ass off.

I heard it was started in prison too, but not because they didn't have belts, but because some of the inmates were showing off the goods if you know what I mean.

You know, if that what started the saggy pants thing, I would just laugh my 'ass off.

If I were a certain type of poster I might cry implied homophobic racism in your post - but I'm not, so I won't :)

There's a certain glorification of prison culture in America, from countless 'American Football against the guards' films back to Cool hand Luke through Alcatraz and then the various 'gangsta in da prison' films.

In thinking about it, I'd venture to guess that what I've previously put down to a culture of violence along the lines of the 'Sheriff's in Town' attitude, the real fact is that standing up to authority is the base impetus for many of the veins that run through American culture, one that runs alongside work hard for success.

I'd like to respectfully disagree here.

The trend started in prisons.

The reason is that belts are not allowed in prison due to their wondrous capacity as aids in suicide nor do clothes tend to be individually fitted per prisoner.
From the article linked in the OP:

The bare-your-britches fashion is believed to have started in prisons, where inmates aren't given belts with their baggy uniform pants to prevent hangings and beatings. By the late 80s, the trend had made it to gangster rap videos, then went on to skateboarders in the suburbs and high school hallways.

50 year old dudes will be embarrassed that they once 'rolled that way'.


Indeed or used that slang?

I wonder what they'd do to some of my friends who are tall enough that wearing pants at the underwear line can't happen without an extreme amount of shopping in specialty stores for pants that are excessively long.


Those 'people' get the bamboo cane and the garden hose.

From the article linked in the OP:

To better understand the 'sagging' mentality, you have to look back to its original symbolism in prison.

Someone who 'sags' is advertising his sexual services and indicating that he enjoys enduring forceful intercourse from large, rough men.

To better understand the 'sagging' mentality, you have to look back to its original symbolism in prison.

Someone who 'sags' is advertising his sexual services and indicating that he enjoys enduring forceful intercourse from large, rough men.

*proceeds to laugh his ass off*

Ahh I'm going to have a good day today. Can I print that out and pass it out to kids who let their pants sag, please? :D

Mind boggling?

Cities cracking down on saggy pants (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070916/ap_on_fe_st/saggy_britches)


Although I strongly agree with seat belt laws......this is just plain silly.

Only in America?

Poll coming....
Wow, that's some awesome news out of NJ! Apparently they have completely eliminated poverty and crime, have managed to ensure that every child has access to quality education and health care, have won the war in Iraq, have a perfectly balanced budget, and have discovered a way to cultivate a thriving rainforest just outside Newark.

At least, I assume they must already have accomplished all of these things, since their government now has time to worry about how citizens are wearing their pants.

Wow, that's some awesome news out of NJ! Apparently they have completely eliminated poverty and crime, have managed to ensure that every child has access to quality education and health care, have won the war in Iraq, have a perfectly balanced budget, and have discovered a way to cultivate a thriving rainforest just outside Newark.

At least, I assume they must already have accomplished all of these things, since their government now has time to worry about how citizens are wearing their pants.

For want of a belt the pants were lost.
For want of the pants the soldier's arse was lost.
For want of the soldier's arse, the soldier was lost.
For want of the soldier the battle was lost.
For want of the battle the war was lost.
For want of the war the oil was lost.
For want of the oil the economy was lost.
For want of the economy...lots of bad things happened, including poverty, no rainforest, more crime and less healthcare.

You see, the government is just looking out for the safety of the nation.

Wow, that's some awesome news out of NJ! Apparently they have completely eliminated poverty and crime, have managed to ensure that every child has access to quality education and health care, have won the war in Iraq, have a perfectly balanced budget, and have discovered a way to cultivate a thriving rainforest just outside Newark.

At least, I assume they must already have accomplished all of these things, since their government now has time to worry about how citizens are wearing their pants.
I think that all of the politicians that would vote for such a measure should be required to spend a day or two with Bubba. That should resolve the issue.

One town in New Jersey banned swearing so I'm not shocked for this one. Good lord it's unnecessary.

Did you know that there's actually a law against swearing in my town? If you swear in front of a child or women, you can be fined, or maybe go to a jail for a day or something (I'm not sure about the jail part). Of course, I don't think the law is ever enforced.

Proposals to ban saggy pants are starting to ride up in several places. At the extreme end, wearing pants low enough to show boxers or bare buttocks in one small Louisiana town means six months in jail and a $500 fine. A crackdown also is being pushed in Atlanta. And in Trenton, getting caught with your pants down may soon result in not only a fine, but a city worker assessing where your life is headed.

Heh. Crackdown. :)

I think they should ban bikinis too. And short skirts. And tube tops. And short shorts. And wife beaters.

Seriously, there is no legal justification behind this. They are not indecently exposing themselves, nor are they a danger to anyone, unless you consider fashion designers that faint at the site of such atrocious behavior.

You are wrong on one point; they ARE indecently exposing themselves if their buttcrack is visible. I don't want to see people's buttcracks; I think the practice of wearing pants that low is disgusting. It's almost as if they WANT their pants to "accidentally" fall off so they can moon everybody that sees them, or else as a form of "expression" to make some sort of "statement' about something-or-other.

The crying shame of the whole matter is that people don't have enough common sense and decency not to wear their pants that low. They ought to know better; they ought to know that people don't necessarily want to see their cracks.

There should not have to be laws prohibiting this sort of thing. People should not have to be told to pull their pants up in public.