Dallas City Council Moving Forward on Saggy Pants Ordinance

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Dallas councilman seeks to ban saggy pants
Councilman says he wants to help improve young adults' self-image


By THOMAS KOROSEC
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle Dallas Bureau


DALLAS — Saying he is fed up with seeing young men in saggy pants, a councilman said Thursday he wants to pass a city ordinance to fine those who appear in public in the popular, prison-inspired fashion.

Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway said his proposed "Public Display of Undergarments" measure "is not about race and it's not about government controlling how you dress."

He said he wants to protect people "who don't want to see someone else's private parts" while at the same time helping young adults improve their self-image.


Support from council
Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and four other council members appeared with Caraway at an afternoon news conference to express support for his effort.
The idea was first broached in Dallas last year when a school trustee asked the council to act. They balked when complaints surfaced that such an ordinance could provoke legal challenges on First Amendment grounds.

Such bans also have been opposed as racially biased because they disproportionately target younger black men and Hispanics.

In August, Shreveport, La., became the first sizable city to outlaw "sagging." Its ordinance prohibits public wearing of pants that fall below the waist and expose skin or underwear and sets out a $25 fine for a first offense and no more than $200 for subsequent offenses.

"It's not about profiling," said Caraway, who is black. "People talk about the right of free speech and free expression. By that same token we also have a right to try to teach and nurture our young individuals (about) what it takes to make it and be successful."

Atlanta City Councilman C.T. Martin, who this summer proposed a saggy pants measure in his city that is pending, was also at the Dallas event. He said he was inspired to act by comedian Bill Cosby, who has criticized young black men for embracing the saggy look.

"This is a world issue," said Martin. "I've been interviewed from Tokyo to Australia."

Dallas school trustee Ron Price, who last year asked the council to ban baggy, low-riding pants, said, "We need to stop making excuses for bad behavior. Anybody walks around our city indecent, we need to do something about it."


No plans in Houston
A spokesman for Houston Mayor Bill White said the issue of low-riding pants has not come up in the city.
"We don't anticipate doing anything about it at this time," spokesman Frank Michel said. "We don't see a big outcry about it in Houston and we have no shortage of serious matters we're contending with."

Caraway said he plans to take a cautious approach with his proposal and not push it until gaining more public support and feedback.

"People say it starts at home and they're right," he said. "Hopefully, home is listening as well."