Atlanta’s City Council has gone so far as to plan a “Saggy Pants Forum” (tonight at the Civic Center at 6 pm, if you care and are in the area) where concerned citizens can weigh the pros and cons of legislation, proposed by Councilman/Old Geezer C.T. Martin, that would make wearing saggy pants a punishable offense. Legislating poor taste is all the rage across the country.
Here’s what Martin had to say:
“What we want is for young people to police themselves, to think about what the long-range implications are when they do it,” Martin said in an interview Tuesday. “This is going to take you nowhere. It’s not going to get you a 3.8 grade point average. It’s not going to get you a high-paying job. It’s not going to take you to higher levels. It’s a distraction. It’s also disrespectful to older women.”
Here’s what, uh, Yung Joc had to say:
“That’s attacking people’s freedom of expression,” hip-hop star Yung Joc said in an interview shortly after the legislation was introduced. “When Woodstock was around, did they tell people not to wear their hair long, or hemp clothing? Are they telling the skateboarders they can’t wear the jeans so tight? Or those little shirts? This is targeting a certain group: young black males. And this will only give them more of a reason to pull them over; more of a reason to detain them.”
The City Council will vote on the ordinance next month. Young men might want to start saving up for some new jeans.
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Wearing fitted pants won’t get you those things either though I, young geezer, still find it offensive.
Sagging pants is so 1990’s. I can’t believe guys still wear their pants like that. I think they look stupid.
Why don’t they push forward with some pro-education legislation or anti-poverty legislation while they’re trying to regulate fashion?
Daria, the dates on GBW are all messed up. Great blog btw.
Those guys look utterly ridamndiculous.
How about they get some legislation on Tall Tee’s as well, and how about we add white Jordan’s and air forces to that list. I hate that this is what a government is spending its valuable time and my mom’s valuable tax dollars on. You know what I think that mom jeans and new balances are heinous fashion trends, can we outlaw those too?
I HEART New Balance!
Don’t they have anything else to be concerned about in Atlanta? I’m not a fan of the baggy look, but I do think its a waste of time and resources to be “policing” peoples wardrobes.
If I lived in Atlanta, I would call those councilmen and women’s offices and threaten not to vote for them the next time they come up for re-election because they are wasting time and taxpayer money!
File this with the congressional investigations of steriods in baseball. Waste of time, energy, taxpayer money, and overall purpose of government.
You know why they’re doing it. It distracts from the real important things that have gone awry.
Yeah, I wanted to rage against the machine too, until I was in a restaurant and this dude sat down with only the thin membrane of his draws separating his ass from the seat. That’s kinda gross. At least pull your pants up when you enter an establishment. Even if it is Chipotle.
Utter nonsense.
Instead of focusing on the scary real problems that have been plaguing our community for decades now, we instead have leaders who’ll focus not so scary fashion issues and burying offensive words.
They should have used the time they spent drafting this legislation to find a damn way for young kids to get educated and break the vicious cycle of poverty.
Reminds me of high school when the “black girls” would get punished for dying their head (red, purple, blue or blonde). For some reason the “no unnatural hair colors”, “no bandannas” and “no baggy jeans” on applied to black people, while the “white” emos (ugh… pants on waaay too tight), skaters and punks got away with the same thing. I know some “saggers” who later grew up to graduate in the top of their college class.
I second Ike
Also, It’s bull and has nothing to do with protecting anyone’s rights…it’s absolutely infringing. If you don’t like it, don’t look. That would never fly in NY. Policing fashion? C’mon.
If someone tried to take my right to dye my hair away from me in high school…. I’d…I’d…well…I’d just break down and cry.
This fashion statement was popular in the late 60’s and early 70’s and it offended the older and some younger generation. To prohibit this particular attire via Atlanta’s legislative would be abrupt. If this particular case needs to be addressed then all problems should be discussed not just one incident pertaining to today’s youth attire.
A percentage of youth are searching for identity just as all generations did in their era? The progression of time will reflect various fashion statements and the question will be later in life, “What was I thinking?”
For those of you who enjoy “Saggy Pants” ask yourself a question. What benefits are there in wearing this particular fashion? Will this incriminate or detriment my character while representing who you aspire to be or become as one excels in this establishment? How can one embrace a fashion w/o overstating the attire to prevent damage to self, family and God?
Think About It