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Georgia Town Raises Nearly $4,000 Off of Saggy Pants Fines

Oct. 3, 2011 5:36pm Becket Adams

It's a good look on you. No, really . . .

Authorities in Albany, Ga. may have found a solution to the national economic crisis.

The answer? Fine people with laughably bad fashion sense that borderlines on “indecent exposure.”

On Nov. 23 of last year, the city of Albany instituted a ban on anyone wearing pants (or skirts) more than three inches below the hips.

The first saggy-pants ordinance violator less than nine months ago started a cash flow to the city, reports the Albany Herald

Under the ordinance “the municipal court shall have the same authority as the superior court to enforce obedience to its orders, judgments and sentences.”

“The Municipal Court advises that 187 citations have been issued and fines collected of $3,916.49,” since the ordinance went into effect Nov. 23 says City Attorney Nathan Davis.

First-time offenders must pay a $25 fine. On subsequent offenses, the fine can run as high as $200.

Considering that the Albany Police Department is averaging more than 20 citations a month for the indecent exposure saggy pants ordinance, it is possible the rest of the year could add another $1,500 to the city’s general fund pot, reports the Herald.

Although the ordinance prohibits arrest or imprisonment for violations, it can impose 40 hours of community service to be completed in lieu of fines.

Disregarding polite society is not a constitutional right.

The inhabitants of Albany are not only spared the uninvited parade of drawers, but they will also have clean roads.

Doesn’t sound like a bad deal.

But wait! There’s more!

Albany is not alone among the cities that want to do away with the pants-around-the-ankle look. It has been reported that other cities in Georgia including Dublin, Hawkinsville, Plains, and Rome have similar ordinances or are considering them.

Furthermore, other states such as Florida, Virginia and Louisiana also have cities with the ban or are considering a ban, according to the website USATODAY.com.

If this trend were to catch on, then towns and cities across the nation could generate the revenue they need to operate and at the same time instruct fashion-challenged citizens on the benefits of wearing a belt.

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Comments (225)

CHESTER MOUSE
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:36pm
How do they walk like that? Do they want us to know that they change their stink pants every day?
Because quite frankly it looks like they just dropped a load? And you want to know why the youth can’t get a job? they can’t even pull their pants up!

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- Prepared
  Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:52pm
  thanks for the laugh!
  
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FlowerBell
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:35pm
Walking around baring your underwear to the world is vulgar and rude but I see no need for a new law. These folks have every right to walk around with their pants down if they care to. This behavior illustrates clearly enough they are ignorant trash but you can’t outlaw ignorant trash. Hopefully a few of them will mature and eventually behave in a civilized manner.

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virgie morgan
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:34pm
I’m not endorsing this kind of style, it’s stupid but what about the girls on the beach wearing thong bikinies that cover even less than this stupid looking pants around the knees style. What about the fat lady we heard about who bought a bikini at a store and wasn’t allowed to wear it in the store? Everyone was saying that if she had been a skinny girl nothing would have been said about it. That’s what’s wrong with this whole thing..it depends on who is wearing it. As a society we should have some rules about dressing in public without having to go all hitler on everyone. People need to stop finding fault with rules in society and advocating an “anything goes” mentality in order to not offend someone or be PC. No matter what there is always gonna be someone who is gonna be offended in society. Stop crying for your rights and start doing your responsibilities and teach your kids that they need to dress presentable in society. Go naked in your own home in private, but not in public. It’s common sense. No more, no less.

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oldironsides
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:33pm
Nanny state run amok – at least on a local level you can more easily get the politicians out -
but don’t call yourself a small government conservative and condone this. If the gov limits freedom ’cause it supports your belief its ok ? That’s such b s and you’re a fraud.

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- Islesfordian
  Posted on October 3, 2011 at 10:04pm
  The difference between Libertarians and small government conservatives is that the conservatives see small government as LOCAL government. This is a local government enacting a form of decency laws. We don’t think the only job of local government is protecting the same individual rights that the federal governent does. We believe it also protects a thing called society, which involves public morality beyond simply not killing or stealing.
  
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- Nick84
  Posted on October 4, 2011 at 1:59am
  Islesfordian-
  
  In my opinion, the only difference here between libertarians and what you call “true conservatives” is how hypocritical “true conservatives” like yourself are. I can only imagine how outraged you would be if a predominately Muslim community decided that women wearing clothing that covers anything less than their full bodies is “indecent”, and tried to pass a law based on that. Can you honestly say you would support their right to do that? If not, what is the difference between this law and theirs? It is only a matter of opinion on what is decent or indecent.
  
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allenbecca
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:25pm
I just happen to live in albany ga and believe me the police department could write five times as many of these tickets if they wanted to.

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ravinginfidel
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:14pm
I also heard the fashion originally came out of the prisons. Personally as long as they’re not distributing crack, vertical or otherwise, isn’t it a government intrusion of their right to openly display their lack of common sense. Nothing is worse than stealth stupidity. If the current fashion trend is to display ones IQ or lack thereof with a waist line around the buttocks then so be it.

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parkerislegend
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:10pm
you may as well ban the guys who wear t shirts with the sides cut out, or what about the people on peopleofwalmart.com? now thats some offensive clothing! yeah these kids look like comlpete morons and continue to show their disrespect for society by doing it, but to outlaw it is a little over the top. just let them be and let us continue to make fun of them.

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- ALLEGIANCE
  Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:22pm
  You are a true conservative PARKERISLEGEND who obviously value your freedom. I am not interested in responding to emotional driven morons on this forum. My constitutional rights are at stake because of this nut job president and here you have watered down conservatives agreeing with this crap because they are emotional about some idiot’s dress code.
  
  I want to scream, but I know it won’t do anything. Where are the real men who used to fight hard for our rights. And not get caught up in all the low brain count dribble arguing back and forth on here, instead of sticking to the facts. We are at war and are wasting our time with crap like this. Albany needs to be repealed. If they try that crap in SC, it won’t fly.
  
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AngelAuthor
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:05pm
Since women are not attracted by seeing random mens’ butts…
And heterosexual men are certainly disgusted by the sight…

I have concluded that guys who walk around with their “pants on da ground” are trying to attract other homosexual men.

What other option is there?

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ALLEGIANCE
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:56pm
I am almost ashamed to associate myself as a devout conservative, with the likes of some who would applaud an infringement on my constitutional right. Are you so consumed in your dislike of a thug or whatever you call them that you would praise the govt for doing what we fight against and have been forever. Don’t fall asleep because of your thirst to punish those you oppose. It’s like if my enemy is attacking my enemy, then they are no longer my enemy. Hogwash. Tomorrow women will be taxed if they don’t wear a certain type of bra. Men will be taxed if someone is offended because they have too much **** on their arms in restaurants. Will all true conservatives please stand.

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- AngelAuthor
  Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:11pm
  Allegiance, there’s a difference between fining for fashion and fining for indecent exposure, which this is. I am extremely conservative, but i want it to be illegal to walk around town nude.
  
  I want it to be illegal to walk around town partially nude as well…
  
  These youths are taking an article of clothing meant to be worn one way and deliberately wearing it differently to expose themselves. If we were to take the “liberty” argument as you put it, we should later (and you know it’s coming) have no problem with women who walk around with their blouses down around their waist as long as they have a patsy on…
  
  no, no no. Our society reasonably says you cannot walk around in public wearing nothing but underwear. A logical extension of that is that you cannot walk around in public deliberately wearing your clothes to expose your underwear.
  
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- Islesfordian
  Posted on October 3, 2011 at 10:15pm
  True conservatives have never fought against the right of local government to maintains standards of public decency. It is the liberals’ exaltation of individual rights over social morality that has resulted in the decriminalization of pornography, which is directly atributable to the breakdown of marriages and sexual abuse of children. Defending the right of strip clubs and “adult” bookstores to be within rtwenty miles of decent people and children has resulted in a society that no longer sees he need to protect the innocense of children.
  
  That’s not a civilization worth defending.
  
  So you can argue about whether this application of decency laws is sensible, but to argue against fighting for public decency in the name of fredom? Forget it. That’s not the freedom we want. It’s not the freedom the Founders fought for, as they were quite happy with public decency laws much stricter than what is being argued for here.
  
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RightPolitically
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:56pm
People might say to them, “Pull your pants up and go out and get a job.” Let’s face it though, these people want Obama re-elected so that they NEVER HAVE TO actually do that…… GO OUT AND GET A JOB!

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Taxed and Accused
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:45pm
they should not be fined for their clothing. The government shouldn’t have any say in what someone wears or doesn’t wear. These people should be shamed into pulling up their pants. If enough people tell them to pull up their pants, they will. But with this administration it maybe racist to say anything. Yes it is racist. Everything is racist.

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bruce_baker
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:42pm
When are we going to see some interesting fashion statements, like fake orange day-glo beards, or wearing stuffed animals around your neck? The pants thing is just soooo boooorring!

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Ready2Rumble
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:34pm
That look went out of style in 1995…..geeze

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mickeydeath
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:32pm
looking like a fool with your pants one the ground but this is one of the most absurd taxes I’ve ever heard of

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schroeder123
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:31pm
I think grass skirts would look better !

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Exrepublisheep
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:28pm
Outlawing saggy pants=fashion police. But its O.K. to wear pointy hatted white sheets.

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Zena
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:28pm
Pull those damned pants up! This is not fashion this is what prisoners wear. Keep your business and your junk to yourself! Thank you Georgia and hope the rest of us follow suite.

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- PoliticiansRCrooks
  Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:43pm
  but its okay to look like ***? People like to judge all the time. Have power some how. This is why America is in the Gutter. How would like if I went in your lifestyle and told you that you can’t do this n that or I’ll fine you.
  
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TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:27pm
I remember what Obama said during the election in 08 to a reporter when asked about this fashion. He said..” A brother ought to pull up his pants.” The ONLY thing I have ever heard wise from our poser prez.

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- PoliticiansRCrooks
  Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:41pm
  And people think the same way about you.
  
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PoliticiansRCrooks
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:26pm
You can’t tell people what & what they cannot wear, no matter how stupid it looks.

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- Islesfordian
  Posted on October 3, 2011 at 10:25pm
  Yes you can. There’s zippo in the Constitution protecting your right to dress, or undress, as you please. How do you think the laws against public nudity are founded?
  
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PoliticiansRCrooks
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:25pm
You can’t tell some one what and what they cannot wear. No matter how stupid it looks

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Rpmadskilz
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:23pm
Sagging pants are worn in bad taste, however it is of no business of the government to regulate how a citizen wears their pants. For conservative minded people to be okay with this fine/law simply because it sometimes signifies being affiliated with gang members or criminal activity is ridiculous. Just think of the government fining you for wearing a constitution T-shirt or an NRA t-shirt. You wouldn’t put up with it would you? These laws need to be repealed in their entirety as a violation of free speech and individual liberty.

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JustPeachy
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:21pm
One kid like that was trying to run–at a local high school–and fell down on his face (while his fellow students roared, of course).

They walk around like little grannies because they can’t walk fast like that!

They look STUPID.

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pahalik
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:20pm
Everyone here is really in favor of laws that enforce dress codes? Really? I don’t like it anymore than the rest of civilized society but I damn sure don’t want some cop telling me that my t-shirt is the wrong color or my shorts can only come up 1 inch above my knees. Do we really want the government in charge of wardrobe? I say if you don’t like it then don’t look or man-up, try to beat their ass and take the consequences for your actions.

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- Rpmadskilz
  Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:24pm
  you got it right Pahalik.
  
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solaveritas
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:20pm
I can’t believe the ACLU is against this one. Truth is, we should all be against it.
If you can walk around in running shorts that show more, why is it criminal to be also wearing sagging jeans?
Its unconstitutional.
Government should not be making up their budget with “fashion laws”.
Those who dress this way already pay by the poor image they portray, and the jobs they don’t get hired for, etc.

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- Islesfordian
  Posted on October 3, 2011 at 10:27pm
  Where in the Constitution do you find this right? What article?
  
  And remember, we are talking about LOCAL government, not the FEDERAL or even the STATE government. I would think conservatives and even Ron Paul Libertarians would understand that crucial distinction.
  
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huberto
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:17pm
THANK YOU Albany!!! The “prison bi*&h” look makes these teens look like pedophile victims. Underwear goes under your clothes- and is not for public purview.

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- solaveritas
  Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:25pm
  What’s worse? Underwear or running shorts that show more skin?
  What is underwear? What YOU decide underwear is?
  Your law based on opinion is too vague to afford due process and is unconstitutional. You either support our system of laws or you don’t, which is it?
  
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- Islesfordian
  Posted on October 3, 2011 at 10:33pm
  Do you know the difference between running shorts and bathing suits… and UNDERWEAR? Underwear is made to be worn underneath, so it doesn’t have to be very thick or rugged.
  
  But beside that, it’s very easy to define the situation that pants are to be worn up. there’s no confusion about the terms.
  
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