Low Standard
May 7, 2010 by Kathy McManus
When New York state senator Eric Adams saw yet another young man on the subway wearing sagging, revealing, low-slung pants, he decided to act. "His behind was showing," said Adams, according to Gothamist.com. "All the passengers were looking at him in disgust, but nobody was saying anything." So Adams rented two Brooklyn billboards and plastered them with "Stop the Sag!" in towering letters.
Well before Adams got involved, a long list of politicians and law enforcement agencies, whimsically supported by American Idol wannabe Larry Platt, have attempted to ban pants on the ground — even using jail time — contending they constitute "indecent exposure." But Senator Adams, a former police captain, sees the sag-style as something more: "a slippery slope to a criminal future," as Gothamist reported. "The first indicator that your child is having problems is the dress code," Adams said. "Prior to the sagging pants, it was the shoestrings out of sneakers. All of this is born out of prison," he said, concluding, "It's all in the clothing."
Is Adams in the right? Should some clothing or styles of dress be banned?
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103 Comments
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May 7, 2010 by David
I disagree that wearing pants low is "a slippery slope to a criminal future." Okay, granted, wearing your pants low is a inmate's way of saying "I'm somebody's bitch," but most people wear their pants low because it's a fashion thing (Lord knows why. @_@)
It's like saying video games inspire violence. Maybe they do in a few rare cases, but in most cases, it's completely harmless.
As for whether or not the fashion fad should be banned...I'm really not sure where I stand there.
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July 21, 2010 by robert stewart
i think that Arizona should enforce a saggy pants law am so frustrated that these guys are so cool until they run from the law then they make fools of themselves when their pants fall down tired of seeing their stupid underwear and thinking its cool. not cool if you want respect from anyone do not look like bozo the clown am disabled person and sometimes my pants do slip from time to time and wonder how in the world can they stand it that way question is why ?
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July 13, 2011 by Howard Welch
Why do they think this is cool? When someone goes to jail or prison, they can be hard pressed to find "Jail Clothes" that fit properly, so they end up with a size or two two large, with no belts being available. (Too small & tight=walking "rape me" advertisement!) To continue this practice--once released--of having pants too large, and thus sagging down to ones' knees is a way of saying: 'Hey look, I'm cool--I've been to prison, and am keeping up with the latest gansta styles there, so you'd better respect me, man!"
July 15, 2011 by Greg Freeman
I think Atlata should enforce the same law ......... If I can see your underwear, thas indecent exposure !!!
September 30, 2011 by Sbob
So why do we always think that it is OK to legislate for personal choice?
Where does it stop?
I don't agree or disagree with this "fashion."
I just believe in free expression.
Local authorities are only getting involved in order to increase their revenues.
Perhaps we should ban cleavage or push up bras as well!
Oh, that's right, showing breasts isn't offensive to men, is it!
October 23, 2011 by derrick
wow people are so concerned with how other people dress let me guess your over 50 you were your pants above your belly button and all you can do is look at other kids butts i have a word for that its called pedafile if there pants were up apprently you would still be looking at these kids butts
July 29, 2010 by dorren evans
they are leting the pants sag without underwear is this legal?
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December 7, 2010 by Elizabeth
no
September 11, 2010 by BRENDA ROLES
I DO BELIEVE THE SAGGING PANTS SHOULD BE BANNED. IT IS A DISGRACE FOR YOUNG OR OLD MEN TO WALK AROUND WITH HALF OF THIER BUTT SHOWING. THEN THEY HAVE TO GRAB THE FRONT OF THIER PANTS TO KEEP THEM FROM FALLING OFF. SO I GUESS IF THEY DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH PRESENTS OF MIND TO WEAR THIER PANTS RIGHT. THEN SOMEONE HAS TO MAKE THEM AND IT IS ABOUT TIME.
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July 13, 2011 by Prettylady
I do think sagging pants should be banned. I am so tried of seeing people underwear and this is not only guys but the girls are doing it also. People need to stop trying to be like other people. Many people know where the sagging pants fad started and they don't care because they think it's cool. Will here in Memphis a young man was shot in the butt because a man told two guys that was walking down the street to pull up their pants and one of the guys go smart with the man and the man shot him in the butt. I'm not saying that the man should have shot him but I probably can say that I believe that that young man is wearing his pant up around his neck with a belt! I know something needs to be done because I am tired of standing in line at a store and in first of me is someone that has one dirty underwear!!!
January 12, 2012 by keri davis
AMEN!!! finally we get a topic on this it should be BANNED. end of story nobody wants to see your underwear and its not going to get you a job anyway.
January 28, 2011 by joyce Sims
theres to many laws already if they all looked liked 80s singers yah yall know what Im sayn ! Some one needs !to address the people who are small mineded.enough to care.and just be greatfull you have a pair.
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April 26, 2011 by Brianna
I disagree as well, there is nothing wrong with wearing your pants low, that includes girls and women, too. I agree that it should not be illigal, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE wearing baggy pants while showing my under wear even with thongs, laceys, hardly boxers, though. It's a new world of fashion to us, let us enjoy it!
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July 20, 2011 by ann browne
It's about time something is done! It needs to stop. why not see how nice you can dress and have others respect you more. What a shame the young men (and women) have no respect for themselves or others. How about a little pride?
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May 6, 2011 by Marcel
Banned,"YES". There isn't a logical reason for "PANTS ON THE GROUND". I wouldn't want to see my DAD like that for sure and being a follower show's how weak minded the indivdual is PERIOD.
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July 14, 2011 by Linda H.
I disagree too. I am too disgusted by the look. It is not just boys., some girls wear pants like this too. I don't think they should go to jail. Maybe a ticket, for exposing their boxer or their behind.
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October 23, 2011 by derrick
wow look up the history on sagging pants if u are such a no it all inmates started wearing there pants low because the prison systems took away belts dumb @ss not because you were my bitch
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November 29, 2011 by arthur wilson
this is so true many people sagg and i believe it should not be tolerated.
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May 14, 2010 by Naomi
This should never, and I say again NEVER become a fad. It has gone from not bad to totally indencent. When you can't walk through Walmart or just down the street, be behind a school busor at the mall without some guy walking with his drawers (if he's wearing any) hanging out of his pants. Come on people. This is a real problem! No longer bordering on indencency. Been standing in line at Walmart when a guy dropped and squatted done to pick it up and when he squatted down - down came his pants. I can tell you more about the his left cheek of his behind than his wife or mother. I was so embrassed. He stood up very quickly to say the least. But what about my 10 year old daughter - what do you say? This is not to mention the guy who was walking through the mall (with his pants belted under the cheeks of his behind so they would not fall down) when he turned aroung his penis was hanging out of his boxers - exposed to the mall. How far does this stray from sex offender? my opinion - not far.
Something needs to be done and done now. As a business professional i will not hire anyone who walks around holding pants and or body parts. How much work can you get done?
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October 1, 2010 by John Henry
Oh Creamy, its a fad
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March 1, 2011 by charlotte myers
i think it is just indecent and vulgar to see baggy pants. most times when i ,my family or gentleman friend are out we see young males pulling up baggy pants to keep them from falling the rest of the way off. maybe i'm a bit old fahioned here,but in our day and age the youth wore belts or suspenders. our youth of today have gone to hell in a hand basket. what's next?
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July 13, 2011 by Joyabell
My children will not dress "following the fad" if it is not in good taste. I agree the person with low pants should be "cited" and fined for indecent exposure, and on the other hand, girls with their breasts exposed should also be cited and fined. Let's get back to moderation and decency.
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May 31, 2010 by the troublemaker
I agree with the ex Adams that is an indicator of a problem which could identify a path to criminal activity. He is dead on and it doesn't take a genius to figure it out but it does take looking at the big picture, which any law enforcement officer who actually cares about being productive must do.
Ask yourself the question, why is the kid or adult I am sad to say, wear his or her pants that way? What is the influence. The person that comment said something about prison. That is where it came from, but that's NOT why these people wear it that way. They wear it that way because of fashion but fashion coming from where.
Scared to say?
How about hip hop.
Now, with your honest assessment, do you not understand how criminal activity, gang activity, selling drugs, disregard for authority, selling drugs, using drugs, (etc on and on and on) is promoted in hip hop and other entertainment.
So now if these kids and adults, I am sad to say idolized those artists who promotes those activities and present them as being cool, hip, happening, "thug", "gangsta", don't you think those kids who have so little influence by the parents are going to gravitate to carrying out the rest of what there idols promote too?
Of course. Maybe intentional and maybe not. The problem is lack of discipline, stability, influence in the home leaves them open to finding the next most influential thing in their world.
For them that is going to be what the majority of their friends and peers view as cool. That is hip hop and the culture around hip hop. That means those are that kids (and sad to say) adults idols. The will take on what they are exposed to most frequently whether they realize it or not.
Consider this. A kid with slacker parents may have never smoked a blunt. If all his idols and most of his friends smoke when he is offered a blunt is he likely to smoke or say no thanks.
It's common sense that what Adams said is true. Part of the reason that this got so bad in the first place is adults in denial or not caring enough to be the primary influence in their child's life.
How do you even allow your child to walk around like that, it pitiful, the child needs to be enroll in class, the parents (or parent in most cases) needs to go to jail. (i am not serious about that just making a point).
Even though if the law is passed parents need to stop being silly and work with the police to help change the childs behavior since they didn't care enough or wasn't diligent enough to do anything about it until that point.
As for this point right now until that (hopefully never) happens, you parents need to wake up and BE a parent and prepare that child to excel and prosper in society and stop letting them seek guidance and influence from outside the home.
Maybe they will have a chance at a productive, happy life. And while I am at it....stop taking up for your children when they are wrong and make them suffer the consequences of their actions so that they don't grow up make mistakes that they should have learned about when they were young.
Start being a parent. And for the rest of you if you are not ready to be a parent financially and mentally then don't have kids until you are.
Thank you I am glad I was able to end this conversation.
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July 14, 2011 by Frances Evans
Thank you. Hurrah!
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June 2, 2010 by Craig Ibershof
I'M A SECURITY GUARD AT A SCHOOL AND I SEE TEENAGERS SAGGING THEIR PANTS ALL THE TIME. I TELL THESE KIDS TO PULL UP THEIR PANTS BECAUSE PEOPLE JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE THEIR UNDER GARMENTS. WHAT'S NEXT TEENAGERS WEARING JUST THEIR BOXERS OR EVEN WORSE TEENAGERS SAGGING THEIR PANTS WITH NOTHING UNDER THEM. I DO THINK SAGGING SHOULD BE OUTLAWED.
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December 29, 2010 by The Evil Green Ranger
um, dude, most kids wear their pants indecently tight nowadays. if anything, people should get on them instead. the reason being that wearing tight jeans can have adverse medical effects on males. effects such as impotency, sterility, yeast infections, amongst others. i wear my pants baggy, yet i'm a responsible adult who works a full time job, and has a clean police record to boot. kinda diffuses 2/3rds of everyone here's arguements, huh?
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July 14, 2011 by frances evans
There is no accounting for poor taste.
June 21, 2010 by beverly horne
sagging pants is nasty, i tell my grandson all day pull up your pant. i say dont' anyone desent want to see your behind ; and the boxer you wearing . i bought them so i know the color you are wearing. have respect for yourself. and others because its not cute. its ugly and you look silly/ its not a style its a disgrace to yourself and others. how would you look at this when your sister get older and a guy comes to date her and his pants down, my grandson said his sister will miss out on those kind of dates. i then say how you htink another mother feel about her daughter .you knocking at her door with your pants down; trick others as you would want for your sister. change your style and love yourself stop showing yourself because its not cute;
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June 21, 2010 by beverly horne
troublemaker,don;t be so hard on parent's parent don't want too see thier children's exposing thier body' we cant see all they do. no matter how much we talk. i stood in the door several times and soon as my grandson think he's out of my sight he pull his pants down. i call his phone i say pull your up' he say they is up i say you lied to me; he say i'm sorry grandmom they up; i know he pull them back; we don;t know; but i won;t give up from talking to him about the siuation on how nasty it is and look; i tell my grandson sagging pants is a targent for sex offender as well as a girls wearing to short of a dress' and could be a targent for a rapist; we must pray for our children;s as well as the parent;s there;s not enough prayers been sent out; let;s stop judges so much and put some prayers out there;
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June 21, 2010 by beverly horne
troublemaker,don;t be so hard on parent's parent don't want too see thier children's exposing thier body' we cant see all they do. no matter how much we talk. i stood in the door several times and soon as my grandson think he's out of my sight he pull his pants down. i call his phone i say pull your up' he say they is up i say you lied to me; he say i'm sorry grandmom they up; i know he pull them back; we don;t know; but i won;t give up from talking to him about the siuation on how nasty it is and look; i tell my grandson sagging pants is a targent for sex offender as well as a girls wearing to short of a dress' and could be a targent for a rapist; we must pray for our children;s as well as the parent;s there;s not enough prayers been sent out; let;s stop judges so much and put some prayers out there;
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July 7, 2010 by THE FLY GUY
I live in California and i thought we were the only state doing this mess.Growing up only people i saw wearing there pants like that were the crips and bloods,and it was a sign that you were in a gang.But i moved away to Louisiana and they were doing it there to as well as in Texas.The generation now sees it as being cool or trendy,hell even the skate boarders and rockers are doing it to.I would like to know who said it was cool to show your underwear.Its said and im a hip hop head and to see my favorite artist or some of the hottest artist like LIL WAYNE,JAY Z.TI AND others rock there pants under there butt is crazy to me.We are talking multi millionairs.ITS GOT TO STOP,its not hip hops fault but everyone is doing it.I even seen the white guy Rob Dyrk part owner of DC shoes sagging.WOW I JUST DONT KNOW WERE TO START AND HOW TO END IT. LET US PRAY!!! HOLLA
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July 27, 2010 by Noah Yetter
A disagreeable style of dress does not hurt anyone. Freedom means letting other people do things you don't like.
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December 7, 2010 by Elizabeth
Freedom does not mean doing things others don't like! You need to learn the real meaning of a word before you try to use it. There's a freedom of style and there's just wrong. Freedom does not mean that you can do anything you want just because you want to. With freedom comes responsibility, to your self and others.
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December 29, 2010 by The Evil Green Ranger
yes it does. if you have a problem with it, get over it. petty squabbling over a dislike in someone's appearance won't solve anything. you can't force people to conform to your standards, no matter how hard you try.
July 30, 2010 by Margie
It looks awful. They might as well not wear any pants just underwear...as long as they are clean...............lol
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July 30, 2010 by Margie
Im sorry but if that was my kid, he would get a swift kick in the butt. All his privaleges would be taken away. I want my kids to look nice
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August 3, 2010 by alexis
I think that Adams is right. I am a young women and I am tired of seeing these young men with their pants down. You can not even walk down the street without even seeing at least 5 guys. As a therapist I make all my patients pull their pants up or I do it for them. They are so use to it that they go to job interviews with a shirt and tie and pants so baggy that they look nice on top but sloppy on the bottom and they wonder why they do not get picked. We really have to pray for our young men.
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