The Silliness and the Sagging Pants

To sag, or not to sag, that is the question. Ok, maybe not. I think it's safe to say that none of my regular reader(s) wear sagging pants-but hopefully that will change. Frankly, I don't care what you wear, as long as you read and comment. I do, however, have an opinion about sagging pants-I think it's dumb. That being said, I think those who choose this style of fashion have the right to express themselves in this manner. I may find it ridiculous, but that's just me.

Here's what President Elect Barack Obama had to say on the matter:

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This is what brings me to the silliness of the sagging pants-laws preventing individuals from sagging never saved anyone's lives. And as the P.E. so eloquently stated, there are much larger issues that we should be tackling. Healthcare, education, war and poverty should be higher on the list. If you live in a city where this ordinance was passed and your public school system is a non productive group of buildings occupying land, you should vote your local lawmakers out of office. Must we attempt to legislate every nuance of social behavior?

At first glance, mandating young men pull up their pants sounds like a good idea. But I've seen the television show Cops and just about every fleeing, sagging suspect is betrayed by pants that end up around their knees. For the fat, out of shape, donut devouring law enforcement officers, this is a blessing in disguise. The playing field has now been leveled by a fashion statement. No longer do they have to chase the swift-footed perpetrators through vacant lots and alley ways. After a couple of strides, pants end up around ankles and the pursuit is over.

For me, there's nothing worse than seeing a young male (black or otherwise-black males aren't the only saggers), with his boxers bunched up and the waist band of his pants damn near around his thighs. I often wonder if they keep their brain back there. What heterosexual male wants to see another man's underpants? I certainly don't. Furthermore, what statement are you making? What are you attempting to communicate? I fail to get the message. I surmise it's a way of thumbing your nose at society for social disenfranchisement. Ok, I feel the rebellious sentiment. My generation opted for long hair. But we also read, and studied, and knew things other than what car P-Diddy drove, or who was sheboinking Rhianna. We had an idea of the struggle of black folks and what might be necessary to turn things around. We cared. Generation Sag seem not to care about tomorrow. Their complete focus is on the bling, or how to come up, no matter what the communal price might be.

Don't get me wrong, I considered the sag when it first hit the scene-but then I stopped myself and asked, "Does my mother, or my children need to see me in this light?" Not to mention the fact that I didn't really identify with the crowd that sagged. I've always seen myself as an intellectual (to a certain degree), and those who sagged seemed disinterested in knowledge. Most saggers could be seen on the street corner-I never cared for hanging out on the street. That's not to say that there aren't individuals with high I.Q.'s sagging, but the combination of the two appear to be oxymoronic to me. Intellect almost mandates you pull your pants up.

The worse offenders of this behavior, and I have nothing against this section of society, are the butch lesbians. It's the equivalent of me donning high-heels, fake boobs, a wig, and stepping out in....style? These women look absolutely nothing like real men-the boobs are a dead giveaway. There is something sick about this thug mentality. How did we get so turned upside down? I have no real advice for a woman who wants to appear to be man-I simply don't know what to say, other than you look utterly ridiculous. A feminine woman has so much to offer-you'll never be me, so stop trying. Again, I have nothing against a woman who is interested in women-but pull your damn pants up.

Each successive generation strives to do other than what their parents did, and I hope the children of Generation Sag decide that wearing your pants just above your knees is just plain dumb, and take things in the opposite direction. Does sagging look cool, sort of. But its association with ignorance and violence make it an endeavor not worth embarking upon. Almost every body of a dead black man you see lying in the street after being riddled with bullets, has his pants down. Why would anyone want to identify with such a thing? Young brothers, don't get me wrong, I support you. I feel that if you want to wear your pants beneath your buttocks with your underwear showing, you should be allowed to. After all, they are your pants, your underwear, and it's your image. Old white men who neither understand nor care about your future shouldn't have the right to tell you not to. But I just think it feeds into a stereotypical myth about black males we just can't afford. If you've decided that sagging is the way to go, at least counterbalance the idiocy by educating yourself. Know more than when Jay-Z's next album drops, or the price of a Maybach-neither of which enhance your existence in a lasting, positive way. Find ways to better your community and help provide a secure future for the next generation, and most of all, please consider PULLING YOUR DAMN PANTS UP!

TPOKW