AFRO Staff
A South Carolina senator said saggy pants are a setback to the civil rights movement and should be outlawed.
Sen. Robert Ford said he will propose a law banning the style, taking statewide an effort by some Charleston City council members to outlaw it locally. Youth who show their underwear as they walk are emulating prisoners who can't wear belts, said the Charleston Democrat. “We, those of us who fought civil rights battles in the '60s and early '70s, anticipated wonderful things for African Americans once we broke down a lot of barriers,” Ford told The (Charleston) Post and Courier.
The idea has taken off nationwide (AFRO July 5-11, 2008), with towns in Ford's native Louisiana among those adopting a ban. But statewide efforts in Louisiana and elsewhere have failed.
Ford's comments came after three Charleston City council members announced they would consider a citywide ban on saggy pants. The proposal would make it a misdemeanor to appear in public with pants more than three inches below the hips. Violators could face 30 days in jail or a $500 fine.