Judge Rules Saggy Pants Law Illegal

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26759466/

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. - A judge has decided a law banning sagging pants in this town is unconstitutional after a teenager spent a night in jail on accusations he exposed too much of his underwear.

Julius Hart, 17, was charged last week after an officer said he spotted the teenager riding his bicycle with 4 inches to 5 inches of blue-and-black boxer shorts revealed.

Hart's public defender, Carol Bickerstaff, urged a judge Monday to strike down the sagging pants law, telling him: "Your honor, we now have the fashion police."

Circuit Judge Paul Moyle ruled that the law was unconstitutional based on "the limited facts" of the case. Technically, however, the charge hasn't been dropped yet: a new arraignment awaits Hart on Oct. 5.

Voters in Riviera Beach approved the law in March. A first offense for sagging pants carries a $150 fine or community service, and habitual offenders face the possibility of jail time.

Proposals to ban saggy pants are gaining ground in several places around the U.S., and have met with opposition from civil liberties advocates who say they will lead to racial profiling against young African-Americans. The fashion is believed to have started in prisons, where inmates are not given belts with their baggy uniform pants to prevent hangings and beatings. By the late 1980s, the trend had made it to gangster rap videos, then went on to skateboarders in the suburbs and high school hallways.

Bickerstaff said she wants the city to drop the law — regardless of whether anyone dislikes low-riding pants.

"The first time I saw this particular fashion, I disliked it," she told the judge. "And then I realized I'm getting old."
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A pat on the back to the judge, this case is ridiculous.

We're making laws against how we dress now? I don't like the look but last I checked our country allowed that type of expression.
 
The difference is that in this case, there is no real "public indecency" just a bit of shorts exposed. I've got neighbors who go out and get the newspaper in just the boxer shorts they woke up in, and while I don't think it's too pleasant to look at, I certainly don't want to impose MY views on them.

I think the saggy pants look is the greatest fashion crime there is (and it's amusing if you consider the origins- convicts wear their pants low to show they want to it in the ass from someone else)- but I also consider Crocs, Uggs, and footless tights worn with miniskirts to be fashion crimes. I don't want any of them banned, however, and I'm certainly not going to push for this to be banned either.
 
Neku said:
The difference is that in this case, there is no real "public indecency" just a bit of shorts exposed. I've got neighbors who go out and get the newspaper in just the boxer shorts they woke up in, and while I don't think it's too pleasant to look at, I certainly don't want to impose MY views on them.
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It's one thing to walk ten feet into your yard to grab a paper. It's another thing to walk around town like that. I'm HEAVILY lax in what I wear when I'm just walking briefly into my front yard, or just driving around. But when I intend to go out in public...I like it if people don't see my unmentionables. And I have to say...I like to not see other peoples'. Especially guys'.
 
Thank god for that judge because there are worse crimes that are going on in the world than a fashion one...
 
GrnMarvl13 said:
It's one thing to walk ten feet into your yard to grab a paper. It's another thing to walk around town like that. I'm HEAVILY lax in what I wear when I'm just walking briefly into my front yard, or just driving around. But when I intend to go out in public...I like it if people don't see my unmentionables. And I have to say...I like to not see other peoples'. Especially guys'.
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I agree, but it's hardly something we need LAWS about. My point is, yes, it's disgusting and tasteless, but so are a lot of things people wear in public. But we're not banning THOSE. It is, to some extent, an infringment on personal freedom.
 
I gotta say, I understood this very little, and now that I know the meaning, I understand it less. Anyway, yeah, fashion police. That was kinda funny.
 
The way I see it, some old dudes from the 1700's made America, setting up its laws, aka, the constitution. Fact is, those laws and the ideals that come with it give us certain freedoms and we have to respect that. In this case, it is the ideal to be free, make your own decision and be independent. Those are things more so vocalized in the Dec. of Independance...but I think you get the point.

Until we can ban certain degradeing words and other such things that could be considered obscene, then we have no right to tell the people what they can and cannot wear.
 
YEAH JUDGE! EAT IT HATERS! I AM GANGSTA AND WEAR MY PANTS BELOW MY BUTT! (Actually, I'm not gangsta, but I do wear my pants low, so another pat on the back to the liberty-upholding judge.)
 
I do believe that sagging pants are indeed horrifying, much like gangsta rap, but I'm sure the kind of things I listen to/wear would make people cover their ears/eyes and run.
Hypocrisy, hypocrisy everywhere...
 
Exactly. Where do you draw the line? I don't want to fall into a slippery slope fallacy here, but I look at it this way.

I like Lolita clothes. Sometimes I'll go out in public wearing a full skirt with petticoat and bloomers underneath and a frilly blouse. There are some people who think people like ME should be locked away just for dressing like a freakshow. Does that mean that should be illegal next?
 
Fat guys mowing their lawns without a shirt on.

If that's not illegal I dunno why anything else should be.
 
GrnMarvl13 said:
If sagging pants = liberty...I'm moving to China.
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no need to move then, cuz it equals nothing more than someone's freedom of choice. trust me when i say there are alot of things i don't agree with and think should be banned...but it's people's freedoms to make their own decision....and I have no right to stop them.
 
Neku, Nomura, you two just plain say it all. Everybody is going to have qualms about somebody, but that does not mean that they are better or worse than the next. Nobody can do anything about it, and nobody should.
 
Exposed underwear? Pffft! I just wish something could be done about the exposed ass cracks shown by plumbers.
 
I wish something could be done about tourists (male) who weigh in excess of 200 lbs wearing Speedos on the beach.
 
Taking something like this to court is silly. However, I'm gonna be honest and say I wish people didn't do that. Why? Well, try being behind them on an escalator going up, face full of undies... not pleasant.
 
I personally don't have a problem with this type of style. For me, there's worst offences out there. Like sweat pants in public or socks with sandals. Or wearing sandals with pants, period...
 
Neku said:
I think the saggy pants look is the greatest fashion crime there is (and it's amusing if you consider the origins- convicts wear their pants low to show they want to it in the ass from someone else)- but I also consider Crocs, Uggs, and footless tights worn with miniskirts to be fashion crimes. I don't want any of them banned, however, and I'm certainly not going to push for this to be banned either.
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Marry me.
 
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