Post by Swamp Gas on May 14, 2004 14:23:13 GMT -5
www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/g/archive/2004/05/13/pantsbill.DTL
La. Bill Would Ban Low-Slung Pants
Melinda Deslatte, Associated Press
Thursday, May 13, 2004
BATON ROUGE, La. -- A Louisiana state representative wants to make it illegal for people to wear low-slung pants that expose underwear -- or more. But he's having trouble getting some of his colleagues to take him seriously.
When the bill came up for debate earlier this week, Rep. Derrick Shepherd, a Democrat from the New Orleans suburb of Marrero, was met with catcalls on the House floor. The bill would make it a crime to wear clothing in public that "intentionally exposes undergarments or intentionally exposes any portion of the pubic hair, cleft of the buttocks or genitals."
Launching a fiery speech in support of the bill, Shepherd said, "There comes a time in every society where we must draw a line of decency, where we must speak to a group of individuals who would flaunt the laws of our state, who would flaunt the morals of our community."
The result: laughter from some and a facetious chant of "No more crack!" from Rep. Tommy Wright, D-Jena.
Shepherd asked for a delay of a vote and the measure awaits action.
Despite the jokes, some opponents have serious concerns. During a May 6 committee hearing, Heather Hall of the American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites) said Shepherd's bill would institute a literal "fashion police" and a "really invasive violation of the fundamental right to public expression."
House Criminal Justice Committee Chairman Danny Martiny, R-Kenner, said he agreed with the spirit of the measure, but he said the law would be impossible to enforce.
"I don't know that it's respectful to pay my respects at a funeral without my shirt on, but that's not illegal; that's just stupid," he said. "Government can't fix everything."
But there is also support for the measure.
"We should be able to say what is moral, what is decent and what is acceptable behavior for our young people," said Glenn Green, a city councilman from Westwego, near New Orleans.
If Shepherd does get his bill passed, violators of the proposed law would have to perform three eight-hour days of community service at a fire department and could have to pay a fine up to $175.
"Somebody's telling me how to wear the clothes I've paid for? So my kid is wearing his pants off his booty, he's going to jail?" an incredulous Nikquel Thomas, a 22-year-old New Orleans college student, said about the proposed law.
"It's the land of the free ‹ who cares about what clothes you wear?" added his friend, 18-year-old Leslie Barnum. "It's hot in New Orleans. We're not talking Bourbon Street style ‹ topless. We're talking comfortable, relaxed."
La. Bill Would Ban Low-Slung Pants
Melinda Deslatte, Associated Press
Thursday, May 13, 2004
BATON ROUGE, La. -- A Louisiana state representative wants to make it illegal for people to wear low-slung pants that expose underwear -- or more. But he's having trouble getting some of his colleagues to take him seriously.
When the bill came up for debate earlier this week, Rep. Derrick Shepherd, a Democrat from the New Orleans suburb of Marrero, was met with catcalls on the House floor. The bill would make it a crime to wear clothing in public that "intentionally exposes undergarments or intentionally exposes any portion of the pubic hair, cleft of the buttocks or genitals."
Launching a fiery speech in support of the bill, Shepherd said, "There comes a time in every society where we must draw a line of decency, where we must speak to a group of individuals who would flaunt the laws of our state, who would flaunt the morals of our community."
The result: laughter from some and a facetious chant of "No more crack!" from Rep. Tommy Wright, D-Jena.
Shepherd asked for a delay of a vote and the measure awaits action.
Despite the jokes, some opponents have serious concerns. During a May 6 committee hearing, Heather Hall of the American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites) said Shepherd's bill would institute a literal "fashion police" and a "really invasive violation of the fundamental right to public expression."
House Criminal Justice Committee Chairman Danny Martiny, R-Kenner, said he agreed with the spirit of the measure, but he said the law would be impossible to enforce.
"I don't know that it's respectful to pay my respects at a funeral without my shirt on, but that's not illegal; that's just stupid," he said. "Government can't fix everything."
But there is also support for the measure.
"We should be able to say what is moral, what is decent and what is acceptable behavior for our young people," said Glenn Green, a city councilman from Westwego, near New Orleans.
If Shepherd does get his bill passed, violators of the proposed law would have to perform three eight-hour days of community service at a fire department and could have to pay a fine up to $175.
"Somebody's telling me how to wear the clothes I've paid for? So my kid is wearing his pants off his booty, he's going to jail?" an incredulous Nikquel Thomas, a 22-year-old New Orleans college student, said about the proposed law.
"It's the land of the free ‹ who cares about what clothes you wear?" added his friend, 18-year-old Leslie Barnum. "It's hot in New Orleans. We're not talking Bourbon Street style ‹ topless. We're talking comfortable, relaxed."