Why is this subject an editorial?
Augusta Commissioner Corey Johnson is a good man who had good intentions.
But his decision to withdraw his proposal for a "saggy pants" ordinance is even better.
For one thing, Johnson's ordinance would have cited people whose buttocks were showing -- and that could theoretically be covered by existing laws on indecent exposure.
For another thing, as his fellow Commissioner Calvin Holland noted, "One thing that we cannot do, we cannot legislate morality, and we cannot legislate self-respect."
A handful of other cities around the country have passed or considered similar laws that cite people for exposing underwear with saggy pants that fall down around the thighs. But those ordinances, in our view, are on even thinner ice constitutionally.
And heaven knows we don't need a fashion police.
At least a government one, anyway.
To his credit, Commissioner Johnson has brought increased attention to the issue. And that can't be bad. There's nothing stopping those of us in the private sector -- parents, pastors and others -- from putting on badges and joining the fashion police.
Young folks may not know how this despicable fad, handed down from prison inmates with no belts, hurts society and their own image and future.
You want a job? You want to be taken seriously? You want to take the first step up the corporate ladder?
Pull up your pants.
Even the president-elect agrees.
In answer to a question on youth-oriented cable music network MTV, Barack Obama said last month that laws against saggy pants are a waste of time -- but added, "Having said that, brothers should pull up their pants. You are walking by your mother, your grandmother, your underwear is showing. What's wrong with that? Come on."
We applaud Commissioner Johnson for rethinking his proposal for getting the government involved in this.
But we applaud him just as much for getting us talking about it.
Comments
Why is this subject an editorial?
PT, something needs to be done somewhere .. somehow. The majority of young people who do this are young black men/boys who think it is cool While I'm not an Obama fan, he is the next President. During his campaign, in one interview, he stated his distate for this fashion practice. He simply said (paraphrasing) they need to show some pride in their race and pull their pants up! We need more men like him setting some decency and morality standards by example. If he can do that in four years he might get my vote the next time around.
you're kidding, shamrock: obama gets people to pull up their pants and that's a reason to vote for him? i'm glad i live in a country where the law allows stupid people to wear their clothes however they see fit, but the marketplace ultimately governs appropriateness. for example, an overweight person wearing spandex will not be able to get a job any sooner than a thug wannabee with sagging britches. this editorial is necessary because there are still voters who believe in the power of gov't to change the way people act in public, regardless of individual rights to freedom of expression EVEN IF IT BOTHERS YOU. when the heck did we become so full of self-righteous indignation that we came to the conclusion that if something annoys us it must immediately be made illegal? haven't we seen how morality legislation does more to create division and discord than actually solve any social issues? good grief, folks, you're stuck on the wrong problems; how about we tackle unemployment, illiteracy, and high illegitimate birthrates first?
I cory really wanted to start a social revolution I have a few suggestions. One would be to require that all Section * houses have a small sign in the front yard designating the house and stipulating how many people live there. This would stop the unknown father, who contributes nothing and probably takes money from the family, from visiting. Two make people on welfare put a small sign in the front yard, so when they are having parties we all would know who is paying for it. Three, establish a reporting system for both of the above problems so that we as citizens know who to call to get these people who don't want to live by the rules off the rolls. Please do not for one minute think I am not compassionate for people on Section 8 and Welfare, but I believe if I am paying for them, I should know who they are. A follow on suggestion would be, if the person comes in to apply for either program, and their nails have just been painted and/or they are just coming from the beauty shop, tell them to come back in a month.
I applaud Commisioner Johnsom for addressing this issue as well. It got a lot of attention and people talking about this problem. I hope he uses some of this passion to getting things done in his district like getting MLK blvd and other streets in his district paved.
bone.......... WE have been reeling to and fro trying to keep ourselves upright in your PC world view . SO NOW that WE have a problem............It's none of our Business how you dress............This is Rich!
i cannot make sense of your comment, tujeez, but i gather that you believe me to be politically correct. oh, if only you knew me...but that's not going to happen. suffice it to say that i prefer a live & let live attitude where dress and speech are concerned; regarding actions, however, i tend towards ultra-conservative on most issues. as i have said before, fat women or men wandering around in tight-fitted clothing is far more repugnant than silly li'l boys wearing grillz and sagging pants. but that's just me.
LOL. Wish it could be that way disssman, the local well-connected drug-trafficker's baby's mamma that lived next door to me had well-manicured and polished nails, every shade of lipstick possible, renovations done on the house, a new outfit nearly every day, got picked up on the weekends by a stretch limo, and she has had every hairstyle I wish I didn't ever have to look at, you wouldn't believe the concoctions on that woman's head. The poor dear certainly lived a lavish lifestyle for someone in a HUD house. I don't think she could have bought enough soap in the world to wash out her mouth well enough considering the words that came out of it whether she was happy, sad, glad or mad. People like her make it hard for other people that need the break of Section 8 and HUD by leading to stereotypes. She was everything that can possibly go wrong with a HUD neighbor in one plump package, so ridiculously much, it was like she was a caricature of the worst that could happen. What a waste of a handsome, reasonably intelligent woman. What is worse, her children seem to be going down the same road. A verbally abusive racist dependent on a drug-trafficker does not make a good neighbor.
Before anyone suggests it, after 7 years of the that I finally got my family out of that den of iniquity of a neighborhood. I hated to leave my elderly good neighbors and the nice new couple next door behind, they were relying on me to help them, they were too afraid to call whenever there was trouble. But I had to protect my family and property. There were only a few good neighbors left, the fireman and the policemen all moved to Grovetown, they only lived there a short time, our family had been in that home since 1960, it was built for them, by them. Only saggers got left behind. (Pun intended). Sorry, couldn't resist.
Rats, all the comments distracted me from what I REALLY wanted to say, which was: "Thank you Obama for your common sense comments on this issue of sagging pants. Hopefully, coming from a man of your background and present authority, your words can make a positive difference for some of these young men. You are young enough to be perceived as somewhat of a peer and old enough to possibly get some respect as an elder. I hope they will listen to you as someone they can trust has their interests at heart."
Thank you Commissioner Johnson for drawing attention to the problem. Augusta-Richmond County would be a much more attractive place without the sagging drawers and underwear showing. Thanks for trying to beautify our community. You've given the community some food for thought in a reasonable way.
Love the headline by the way, it has a lot of facets to it, well said.
Seems the polls taken by the AC mean nothing even to their editorial staff. A recent poll taken by the AC showed a distinct majority supported the Johnson ordnance, now the AC takes a completely different pov from the majority of those polled.
Bone, when you see me at the mall in my drawers or long underwear, just remember it is my "right" to "free speech".
Baronees, why didn't you file a complaint wth the HUD/Housing folks and/or cops (for abusive language). Didn't you move?
I filed complaints with everyone possible, including those you just listed. It did absolutely no good. So I moved. I've only heard a vulgar comment one time from a neighbor and one other time from passers-by since I moved here in 2006.
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