Should Saggy Pants Put Money in City Pockets?

It's been a classic struggle between youth and the establishment for at least the past decade. It's an issue that has pitted parent against child; educator against student and now city ordinance against  "fashion-forward" young men. (Although some people would argue that "fashion-backward" is a better fit for this phenomena). At any rate, the issue at hand is saggy pants worn by males who are usually college-aged or younger. It's fashion. It's a fashion statement. And it's bugging the heck out of a lot of people.

Parents are obviously not winning the war on this one. But once a kid leaves home for school, one is never really certain what he's going to look like. So some young males sag their baggy pants in back to make some kind of statement. Apparently it makes them appear cool, detached from the regular mores of society and a bit of an outlaw. It's an image some young males love to covet and yet there are some people saying, "we don't care what you're trying to prove; pull up your pants."

At first there were just warnings. Now there are cities who are putting laws on their books that penalize those who wear saggy pants. Just this week Albany, Georgia has been in the news because of such an ordinance. They put it into effect about a year ago and have issued 187 citations and the city has collected $3,916.49 so far in fines. The first infraction is $25. Others can go as high as $200. I'm not sure if it will cost the perpetrator more if his pants sag way too low or if he's caught wearing Alabama Crimson underwear.

Albany isn't the only community taking this action which; by the way, I think may be infringing on some kind of personal freedoms, although I'll leave that up to the A.C.L.U. to figure out. Flint, Michigan is really serious about this saggy pants issue. Penalties for saggy pants in Flint can find you put in jail from 93 days to a year and also be given a fine of up to $500! I can just see the poor teen convicted of this charge and put in jail next to real criminals. That poor guy would never be able to create a credible reputation in there.

Young Voices, an e-mail Forum on line for students who are college aged and younger weigh in with the opinions of the average young adult. Two sample opinions indicate the fact that this topic divides people of all ages:

Mario King, 18, East Mecklenburg High School, Charlotte: I don't think the government has the right to tell people how they can wear their clothes that they worked hard and paid for.  I think time should be spent creating jobs and lowering taxes; saggy pants aren't the major problem in America.

Adrian Delgado, 18, East Mecklenburg High School, Charlotte: I think that they should ban sagging pants because it just looks ridiculous seeing someone sagging. It shows that they don't have class or manners. It looks nasty.

Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/09/26/2642481/young-voices-ban-saggy-pants-in.html#ixzz1ZOqDG8a9

So should all communities weigh in on this or is it a silly, non-issue? I know the Glendora School District has a strict dress code and yet I'm quite sure that one can probably still find saggy pants on a given campus now and then. That's not the fault of the school or their staff. It's the nature of kids to push the limits. It's going to happen.Should the cities step in or are city governments overstepping the rights of the parents and kids?

It seems a little extreme to me for communities to get so incensed by this that they would enact ordinances or laws to curb the trend. But personally, I don't "get" the saggy pants trend and don't appreciate the sights they inspire. I must also confess: my own son sags his pants. He's twenty-two and as far as I'm concerned, if he wants to look ridiculous, that's his right. If he were verbally harangued or given a fine over it I don't think I'd be all that sympathetic. I have to keep things in perspective, though. I may think his sagging pants look dopey but he never saw me in my Nehru jacket in the 70's! My argument though is that they might have been able to arrest me for bad taste back then, but not for indecent exposure!