City rejects saggy pants law
Published 5:00 am Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Thanks to the board of aldermen, citizens of Brookhaven will beallowed to continue to use their own judgment on how to wear theirpants.
During Monday’s meeting, Mayor Bob Massengill informed the boardthat a concerned citizen had come to him saying young men arewearing their pants too low and that it was disrespectful.
“He wants us to make a law against it,” said Massengill.
Other cities in states such as Louisiana, Florida, New York, andIllinois have passed laws in recent months against both men’s andwomen’s pants being worn low enough that underwear or body partsare exposed. Some cities have set measurement guidelines on how lowthe pants can be.
After a short discussion, the board decided not to make a lawbanning the low pants. Officials, though, still encouraged citizensto use good judgment in the situation.
“If they get low enough, they’re indecent, and we already have alaw for that,” said Alderman at Large Les Bumgarner.
In other business, the board adopted October as RacialReconciliation Month for the city. The designated was requested byMission Mississippi, a group that promotes reconciliation acrossracial and denominational lines statewide.
The proposed proclamation states that during the month ofOctober, Mission Mississippi will sponsor events “proclaiming amessage of brotherly and sisterly love and unity.”