Sagging Pants Raising Eybrows
Following a trend nationwide, citizens in Rome have asked the City Commission to address the issue of young men wearing their pants pulled down past their waistline and exposing their underwear.
Two citizens spoke to the commission Tuesday night, unbeknownst to each of them; they were there to speak on the same subject of sagging pants.
James Gill and Endra Price asked the commission to do something about the issue. Price says, this is “indecency of our young people- particularly our youngs males, wearing pants down past your underwear is intolerable, it’s disrespectful and
embarrassing”.
The two told the Commission that it is time to do something about this problem.
Recently Atlanta City councilman C.T. Martin proposed banning baggy, sagging pants and making the wearing of them a crime in Fulton County. Martin says, he does not want police locking people up for wearing them although he does propose handing out fines to those who insist on showing off their underwear with the drooping waistline.
Rome Commissioners referred the issue to the City’s public safety committee meeting that will be held on September 18th at noon in the Sam King room of City hall. The PSC will decide what course of action to take and whether this issue should be handled with some type of ordinance.
If you would like to be heard on this matter, you can call the City of Rome Managers office at 706-236-4400 or you can attend the Public Safety Meeting on September 18th at noon.
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Comments (12)
In what crazy world do people think this legislation will pass? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like it either but right after this passes (if it passes) there will be screaming about Victoria Secret’s billboards and the like. This will get struck down at the court levels or will never pass due to advertising and retail lobbies.
Perhaps the City can cliam it is for public saftey so that the young men do not trip over their own pants while walking down the sidewalk.
I absolutely detest seeing these young men with their pants halfway down to their knees, and I certainly hope the commissioners pass a resolution banning that kind of “personal expression”. What image do they possibly think they’re sending? They should be more concerned with finding a job and paying their way through life, and it will be hard for them to be taken seriously in any job if they walk around showing their underwear. I really don’t see how some of them keep their pants on. I’ve seen some wearing their pants so low that they have to waddle like a duck to keep them from falling down! And I agree wholeheartedly with the commenter above who said that if it were young women wearing their pants low and showing their underwear, it wouldn’t be tolerated. I think charging them a fine if they’re caught doing it would be a great way to curtail the “expression” and bring money into the city.
Well if they can’t legislate people wearing their clothes right, can we please start beating their parents for letting them go out in public looking like that? My kids (bless their hearts) turn their heads in disgust when they see one of these jerks walking around with their fanny hanging out. I wonder if these jerks know where the whole trend originated? Prison queens used to do that to advertise, if you catch my drift. I bet if they knew that, they’d start pulling their pants up so far they’d look like vacationing Yankees in Miami with their belt buckles slap dab between their nipples! … or Steve Erkel. lol
Oh My God, maybe it’s a social stigma started by Steve Erkel!! The black community started the trend, right? Poor souls, they’ve been stigmatized by the man in Hollywood, and they’re trying to look as un-Erkel as they can! Has anybody seen Al Sharpton? Somebody needs to tell him about this before it’s too late!
If I still had my BB gun, I’d be tempted to start hiding out in some bushes and pump the gun just enough to hurt and start popping some.. no wait, that just starts sounding like I’m chasing prison queens. Bleh.
Mr. Tonkle was correct in his history lesson, BUTT(sic, note spelling!!), It wasn’t always true “queens”, some were prisoners looking for protection. In the prison system, currency(money) often wasn’t available. When a prisoner felt that his life was being threatened, he “advertised” that “My rear-end is for sale -or-trade, I need protection!” They used their body as the only currency they had available, or had value to those that could protect them. Maybe if the “gentlemen and ladies” knew what they were offering when wearing their clothes this way, they would change their appearance. I actually had the displeasure of witnessing a former employee fixing his pants this way and tightening his belt at the BOTTOM of his hips so that it WENT BELOW THE CROTCH!! I promptly told him that if he wanted his job, he should CYA! ( if you don’t know what “cya” is, ask a friend!)
This is absolutely a waste of time! There so many more important issues the government of Rome should be worried about. I don’t personally care to see saggy britches either; however, a person should have the right to dress as they choose.
If this passes what other freedoms will be ripped from us. There is no legitimate reason for this legislation to even be considered. It does not infringe on anyone’s constitutional right to see someone wearing sagging pants. If you don’t like it, do as I do, DON’T LOOK!!!!
In response to what “jorjachyck” wrote above, it absolutely DOES infringe on my rights to be subjected to seeing guys walking around town with their pants down to their knees. It’s not my CHOICE to see that. It would be my choice to go and rent a porno movie or buy a porno magazine, should I have interest in that kind of filth, which I certainly do not, but I it’s not my choice to be exposed to the young men wearing their pants low and showing everyone their underwear. I guarantee you that if it were young women doing the same thing and showing off their thongs, something would be done about it.
songbird songbird—if you do not CHOOSE to see sagging pants then CHOOSE to look away, you are not forced to keep your eyes on the young men’s underwear. Furthermore you have mentioned in both of your comments that if it were young women showing their thongs something would be done—you must not see what I see. I have on many occassions witnessed what is commonly referred to as “whale tale”. Whale tale is where a young lady wears a thong & also wear low rise jeans. This is also something that I think looks stupid but I don’t think the government has the right to tell them they can’t show their whale tale if they want to.
Let me ask you this, if this were an ordiance saying people had to wear their hair a certain way just because a group of individuals didn’t like look at particular styles how would you feel??? Its not about the clothes its about a freedom that is being denied for no legitimate reason.
jorjachyk, jorjachyk, infringing on my right to NOT
oops, silly keybinds. What I was about to do was lambaste you for your attitude that other people can force their lifestyle on me, and I should have to sit back and take it. What of my lifestyle? I have the right to thrust it in everyone else’s face, right? Well, by God, my lifestyle is such that people do not walk around showing off their underwear in public. My lifestyle is such that people have to be responsible for their behaviour. My lifestyle is such that we should not live in an “if it feels good, do it” society. My lifestyle is such that you’re opinion offends me, and I respectfully request that you alter your thought processes.
Make sense? Probably not. Good, now you know how the majority of the people feel when they are confronted with your kind. Okay then, let’s hold a general referendum on it. No wait, that’s messy. I know, let’s let our civic leaders know how the MAJORITY of the people feel on this issue.
I agree with jorjachyck this is not just about sagging pants. Its about a right and a freedom being taken away. If it was something against y’all being taken away you would feel the same way. Furthermore I am an adult, I pay taxes and the government should not be able to tell me how to dress
WOW..never realized simply because I don’t like looking at something i could take away others freedoms to do as they choose-talk about land of the free.
Just wondering how long it will take for me to be told my hair needs to be a certain length because people don’t like looking at it. Why stop at sagging pants??? Lets throw in a ban on camel toe & nutt huggers better yet low cut shirts for women…because that infringes on my “lifestyle”.
My kind that is greatful to live in a free country & the kind that wants to protect not only my freedoms but the freedoms of others-including my husband and children. See, MrTonkle, there are MANY things people choose to do this country that I don’t agree with but I respect their right. Just as I respect your right to look away when you spot someone’s underwear because, again, you have the right to choose what it is that you look at. Will you also be protesting Victoria’s Secret? What about Hane’s and Fruit of the Loom commercials??? Or will you look away & excercise your right to change the channel???
Funny you say let the civic leaders know how the MAJORITY feels—seeing as how the meeting will be held this afternoon, a weekday when most affected by this will be at work or school. Most convenient for retirees to get their point across when those that oppose will be in the middle of supporing themselves and their families.
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I guess I come from the old school, where underware are suppose to be that, under clothing. If they want to wear their pants too big, that’s okay, but not to the point of showing off their underware. If a girl would wear her clothes the same way, she would be fined for indecent exposure. I think the county should put a stop to the indecent exposure. After all it is a law. My grandaughter and I ,who was 8 the time had just came out of K-mart and a young man, (18 or so), was crossing the street going toward Burger King, when his pants fell down, no only his outside pants, but also his underware. She was subjected to seeing everything and asked some questions. Young children should not be subjected to this. Let me know if I can be of any help to try to stop this behavior.