Droopy drawers in jeopardy

     The next time a cop gives you a citation it maybe because your pants are too low.
     Atlanta may soon be joining the list of cities that are now cracking down to put an end to the ever trendy baggy pants and ultra low hip huggers that expose your underwear.
     A bill is on its way to the legislature and, if passed, offenders will be fined or assigned community service for indecent exposure. The proposed ordinance states that “indecent exposure of his or her undergarments” would be unlawful in public. This will be added as an amendment to the already existing indecency laws in Atlanta which prohibits sex in public and the exposure or touching of private areas.
     Such bills are already in effect in numerous cities and state legislatures from Louisiana in the deep-south, Virginia and to New Jersey up north.
     Natalie Vinson, a GCSU senior marketing and management major, is a resident of Monroe County, where the “baggy pants” bill is being heavily considered.
     “I think that in theory it sounds like a good idea,” Vinson said. “But it’s a waste of time. There’s a lot more things in this world that need to be taken care of than monitoring people’s crack”.
     According to CNN, the baggy pants trend started from prison, and soon made its way mainstream to rap and hip-hop videos and trickled down to trendy clothing stores that reached the middle-school and high school aged demographic.
     Jim Surber, a senior Spanish major, while not a particular follower of the baggy pants trend thinks that by enforcing such rules, the law is worsening the situation.
     “I don’t think it should be a legal issue,” Surber said. “Trying to make an issue out of clothing will just make people want to do it more. It’s a statement. If this law is passed people would do it anyway to protest.”
     Many students can vouch that parents and other people from previous generations would probably rejoice that this new bill would be passed.
     “My mom is always telling me to pull my pants up,” Brad Quarte, a junior business major, said. “It’s not low, but she just doesn’t want any boxers showing.”
     Kathy Tennile, department of music and theatre’s administrative assistant, though she would never to wear trendy pants herself, is hoping that the bill would not pass.
      “I think it is an infringement to your first amendment rights,” Tennile said. “If you don’t want to see it [underwear], then don’t look.”
     Atlanta councilman C.T. Martin, is one of the strong proponents of this bill. He said that it was a major concern that is plaguing the country.
     "Little children see it and want to adopt it, thinking it’s the in thing," Martin said. "I don’t want young people thinking that half-dressing is the way to go. I want them to think about their future."
     Jennifer Cash, assistant director of GCSU’s Career Center, sees the connection of how people like Martin would associate the popular trend to success. Cash advises students on what to do for interviews and impressing people on the job market.
“No one wants to hire a person who comes in like that,” Cash said. “It’s all about dressing professionally when you’re on the job or looking for one.”
     Vinson states that laws governing dress code should be handled on a situation basis instead of outlawing it publicly.
     “I can understand passing it as a professional guideline,” Vinson said. “But not as a public law.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 28 2007. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry