'Buy a belt!' Alabama judge orders man to serve three-day jail sentence for wearing sagging pants

[Jazzy]

Authorities in Alabama have handed down a three day jail sentence to a man who fell foul of a judge for wearing so called saggy pants.



Failing to cut the grade with Circuit Judge John Bush, LaMarcus D Ramsey, 20, was sent to Autauga Metro Jail for three days for contempt of court.



In Autauga County Circuit Court on Tuesday to enter his plea on a charge of receiving stolen property, Ramsey was ordered by Judge Bush to buy pants that fit or a belt when he leaves jail.



The people of Montgomery County, Alabama have been threatened with fines of up to $150 for wearing their pants below their hips in a February bill put before state lawmakers.



The so-called ‘saggy-pants’ law which will only apply to Montgomery County was sponsored by Democratic Rep. Alvin Holmes who has stated that he finds it disrespectful when young people wear pants that sag below the hips.

The bill, which has yet to be made law calls for a fine of up to $100 for juveniles and $150 for adults cited for loose fitting pants that fall below the hips in public places.



And last year in Florida a state-wide school dress code was passed prohibiting the wearing of saggy pants.



Backed by Democratic State Senator Gary Siplin of Orlando, the ‘Pull Your Pants up Law’, was enacted into law after a six year battle by Siplin.



As only the second state after Arkansas to bring in such a ban for schools, Florida hopes that by making students pull up their pants their identification with prison attire and violent hip-hop culture will lessen.



‘We want our kids to believe they're going to college, and part of that is an attitude, and part of that is being dressed professionally,’ said Gary Siplin to Reuters.



Facing off resistance from the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, which say the law violates personal freedom and targets minorities, Siplin was unapologetic.



‘The parents, the grandmothers, the professional people, they say, 'How can they walk down the street showing their behinds?' It's not civilised,’ said Siplin.



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What are your thoughts on this saggy pants issue? Do you think it violates personal freedom?

 

[Fatal Dawn]

Don't lawmakers make better use of their time than enforcing such an asinine law? To be honest I too think it's gross, embarrassing, and just plain stupid seeing people with pants below their butts. I don't feel it is my right to tell people to stop wearing them. Just like any other fad, I don't see it as gang-related or inciting violence as most of the people I see wear it just try to hop on the trend.

 

[Sinon]

Talk about a fashion crime.