Louisiana Town Says NO to Saggy Pants

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Louisiana Town Says NO to Saggy Pants

Many of you’ve heard already, but Black and Latino men will face six months in jail and $500 fine for wearing baggy jeans in Delcambre, Louisiana.

The AP reported this week.

DELCAMBRE, La. — It soon will be a crime in this Cajun-country town to let the waistband of your pants sag too low in public.

Mayor Carol Broussard has said he will sign an ordinance the town council approved this week setting penalties of up to six months in jail and a $500 fine for being caught in pants that show undergarments or certain parts of the body.

Mr. Broussard said he has nothing against saggy pants but thinks people who wear them should use discretion. “It’s gotten way out of hand out here,” he said.

Albert Roy, the councilman who introduced the ordinance, said he thought the fine should be in the $25 range.

The Major said: “Just wear it properly. Cover your vital parts. I mean, if you expose your private parts, you’ll get a fine. If you walk up and your pants drop, you get a fine. They’re better off taking the pants off and just wearing a dress.”

Who are they?

Who else wears saggy pants besides Blacks and Latinos? In the wake of Katrina, and as people of color struggle to put their lives together, this ordinance is mocking and insensitive, not to mention, untimely, and unnecessary.

Laws should deter crimes. Not benign, cultural self-expression. This ordinance will only track more men of color in and out the criminal justice system.

The people of that town should stage a protest. Everyone should wear their pants really low. And see how many the police can stuff into jail at one time. Will then the Mayor see the futility of things?

Or maybe we should all write the mayor an angry letter.

What would you tell Broussard?

Posted at 6:56 AM, Jun 14, 2007 in News | Permalink | View Comments

Comments

When the authority in our lives have not been fair or kind in our lives, it's natural to want to test and challenge them to respect us as we are.
Forgiveness is the answer (Like the song says "It's about forgiveness"(not demanding respect for challenging fashion styles that offend the majority of society.
It waste so much time and talent to try and force something down society's throat. Forgive them and create a world that benefits all society. We are all brothers and sisters in the family of the God of All.

I happen to live in the very same parish (county) where that little town is. I also happen to be a community activist, I direct a community TV talk show in Lafayette Louisiana , produce a radio talk show and web producer of BLACKACTION.NET

We are currently working with the ACLU on this issue. we also have the issue of the "Jena 6" seach google and you would be shocked on what happen to these young Black males in Jena, LA

Young Black males are under attack through the judicial system here in Louisiana
thanks
Bro. J

Bro. J.
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Thanks for sharing this! I'll check it out.

Just a Note to Say I agree with the Ban. Maybe One Should Think About the Little Girls Walking Around and Seeing Men's Behinds in Public. We are raising our Children to think its ok to show it all. And then you wonder why there are so many teens in trouble or pregnant?... There is no respect for others and a lack of concern for morality. I'm not a prude but we have to stop somewhere and regoup as "Like the Mini Skirts - Either we have to lower them or we Show our Worse Sides Soon".. Time to get back to children learning manners and respect.

I want to say not only black & latino males were saggy pants. Whites wear them also. I guess whites don't see other whites this way or they are color blind. The problem here is not about race it's about respect.