Sagging Banned In Florida, Attracts Six Months Jail Term

A central Florida city is banning low-riding pants, becoming the
latest community in the country to outlaw a fashion choice that
intentionally exposes underwear or buttocks.
Pull up your pants, offenders will be warned under the ordinance
approved on Tuesday by the Ocala city council, or else face up to six
months in jail and a $500 fine.
The ban on saggy pants was immediately effective on city property,
including streets, sidewalks, parks, public pools and municipal
buildings. Ocala joins several U.S. cities prohibiting or campaigning
against what many defend as a fashion statement.
Councilwoman Mary Rich said the city is not trying to play fashion
police but rather ensure public decency.
"You wouldn't want your mother coming to an affair downtown at the
square and having people with their pants down to their knees," said
Rich, 73, whohas fought for the ban for six years.
Rich said police intend to issue warnings first in hopes violators
will willingly hike up their pants.
Ocala's ban follows a law passed by Florida legislators prohibiting
low-riding pants at school starting with the 2011-12 academic year.
In recent years, airlines reportedly have refused to board passengers
with droopy pants and at least one judge in Alabama sentenced a
20-year-old to three days in jail because his pants choice was deemed
in contempt of court.
Reaction to the ban was swift and often irreverent in posts published
on the website of the Ocala Star-Banner newspaper.
"Who wears their pants up around their waist? I remember wearing hip
huggers," wrote Gena Pisani.
From a poster using the name King Julian: "Plumbers will be outraged
with these six-month jail sentences they get from walking into a
McDonald's to get lunch!"