Virginians May Be Fined For Low-Cut Pants
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James Joyner | Tuesday, February 8, 2005 |
Underwear Police? Virginians May Be Fined For Low-Cut Pants (WNBC)
A Norfolk, Va., legislator says the droopy-drawers bill may be his legacy. The Virginia House of Delegates has tentatively approved a bill to crack down on people who wear low-riding pants. Freshman Norfolk Delegate Algie Howell Jr. introduced the bill at the urging of constituents who are offended by the exposed underwear. Howell said, “That’s why they’re called undergarments. They’re supposed to be worn under something else.”
Delegates approved a measure that would allow police to assess a $50 fine on anyone who exposes their below-waist underpants in a “lewd or indecent manner.”
I’m just glad I live in a state where there are no more pressing issues than this.
Update (1550 2-9): Somehow, this is now about race rather than merely asinity:
Del. Lionell Spruill Sr., a Democrat who opposed the bill, had pleaded with his colleagues to remember their own youthful fashion follies. During an extended monologue Monday, he talked about how they dressed or wore their hair in their teens. On Tuesday, he said the measure was an unconstitutional attack on young blacks that would force parents to take off work to accompany their children to court just for making a fashion statement. “This is a foolish bill, Mr. Speaker, because it will hurt so many,” Spruill said before the measure was approved 60-34. It now goes to the state Senate.
The bill’s sponsor, Del. Algie T. Howell, has said constituents were offended by the exposed underwear. He did not speak on the floor Tuesday.
Spruill and Howell, also a Democrat, are both black.
So, it’s a bill that unfairly targets black people. And its chief sponsor is a black man. Hmm.
Update: Asininity. Heh. No pun intended.
About the Author: James Joyner is the publisher of Outside the Beltway and the managing editor of the Atlantic Council. He's a former Army officer, Desert Storm vet, and college professor with a PhD in political science from The University of Alabama. He lives just outside the Beltway in Alexandria, Virginia.
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Gee, I'm deeply offended by legislators who sponsor (1) "nannie" bills, (2) stupid bills, (3) trivial bills, etc. I think Virginia needs a law banning legislative stupidity and assessing a significant fine for each offense.
Howell said, "That's why they're called undergarments. They're supposed to be worn under something else."
Well now, that's some spiffy logic there. I guess all that copy paper I bought to use in my printer will have to be returned to the store, or else I need to buy me a copier.
Next in Virginia: Legislation to forbid using Miracle Whip Salad Dressing on a sandwich!
Think on the bright side: if they would not have plugged an insane loophole then we could have joked that Virginia did not allow people to show their underwear in public, but people could still secretly videotape underneath someone's skirt. Talk about a joke then...
This is clearly simple common sense and the first
step in the right direction. I support this and
other legislation aimed at protecting the public
welfare. I also support bills regulating the use
of spandex and forbidding belly exposing clothing for anyone more than 10lbs over their guidline
body weight.
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