SC senator wants to ban profanity, sagging pants

[The Straight Story]

SC senator wants to ban profanity, sagging pants

COLUMBIA, S.C. A prominent black state senator has filed bills banning profanity-laced songs and droopy pants in an effort to ignite debate about the behavior of young people, particularly in the African-American community.

Sen. Robert Ford, a former civil rights worker, readily admits he's picking on young black men.

"I am. I am. It's a disgrace," Ford said Thursday. "I mean, this is supposed to be the proudest age in African-American lives ... and we've still got these young men, instead of trying to look like somebody who's got it made, or somebody who's looking out for their community, they want to look like prisoners."

The Charleston Democrat said he knows the proposals would attract lawsuits if they pass, and he doesn't expect them to be approved. He just wants a spirited discussion.

The saggy pants bill would make it illegal for people to wear pants more than three inches below their hips. He wants civil fines ranging from $25 for the first offense to $75, plus up to six hours of community service, for three or more offenses.

"When older black people go to the mall they cry when they see that stuff," Ford said.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/233/story/475317.html

[liberal N proud]

1. That will fix the problem facing this country

:sarcasm:

[Stinky The Clown]

2. This battle has been waged (and lost) since cave kids started in with wearing the skin fur on ......

..... the inside.

[rateyes]

4. It's a shame that the cave parents caved ...

they set an awful precedent for the rest of us. :evilgrin:

[Glorfindel]

6. A long time, indeed!

THE MODERN HIAWATHA

Rev. George A. Strong (1832–1912)

He killed the noble Mudjokivis.
Of the skin he made him mittens,
Made them with the fur side inside,
Made them with the skin side outside.
He, to get the warm side inside,
Put the inside skin side outside.
He, to get the cold side outside,
Put the warm side fur side inside.
That's why he put the fur side inside,
Why he put the skin side outside,
Why he turned them inside outside.

[Ishoutandscream2]

3. Senator Ford, baggy pants will go away in due time

Like many so called statements from the young. And soon, there will be a new statement you will be up in arms about. Learn to pick your battles. This is a very minor one, for sure.

[KharmaTrain]

5. Yep...We've Seen How Banning Things Really Works...

As I learned in my younger days, if you don't want someone to do something, you try to legislate it. It's sure to make it very popular. Many have tried to turn profanity into some vice, and instead makes it more popular.

I have a friend who is a black radio programmer and laughs at this stuff...and cites how there's generational rift in urban music and radio today not unlike others in the past...be it rock 'n roll in the 60's or even the "racy" music of the 20's. Yep, banning that evil rock music with its sex and drug lyrics (and those even more decrepid anti-war ones) really turned us away from it.

[Bluenorthwest]

7. Can we work in some laws against 'golf fashions'?

I'd support a bill that put stiff penalties on wearing those loud argyle things and those odd pants. Also needing some legislation is the entire area of 'business casual'.

[Belial]

8. You have a point there.. been a long time since I have seen

anyone gunned down on a golf course though.. They are working this same bill.. more or less in ATL as well.

[theboss]

9. Can't we just demand belts...you know....like trigger locks

Just a thought.

[NNN0LHI]

10. A prominent black state senator ...

If this nut was white would the article have began with, A prominent white state senator ...?

What do you think?

Don

[The Straight Story]

11. I think he mentioned race which made it relevant to the article (nt)

[surrealAmerican]

12. He wants a statewide dress code?

It sounds like it would apply to women and girls who wear "hip-huggers" too. Perhaps they could just require a uniform for all residents of SC.
Would the state constitution allow this?

[saltpoint]

13. I think most people will honor a legislator with a good sense of prioritizing.

How people dress can be measured in cultural trends but where and when I grew up it was mostly determined by household income.

Also, if it please the court, I introduce as Exhibit A Dolly Parton's fine composition, "Coat of Many Colors."

As for the profanity component of Sen. Ford's objection, I'm thinking this is a mostly unenforceable provision. First, is it even possible to define "profanity" easily? "Pornography" to Phyllis Schlaffly is not the same thing as "pornography" to many others. "Profanity" -- what is profane in culture -- is at least as difficult to define.

If someone whacks his thumb with a hammer and screams "Goddam it," should he or she be fined, or arrested, or burned alive, or what? If music should be free of all profane slogans, whether religious or sexual in content, should the same application be made to all people in all circumstances? Why put recording artists in a cage and punish them for exercising what seems to me to be a First Amendment privilege?

Senator Ford is grandstanding on something today that won't matter much down the road. Low-riding trousers isn't what's wrong with America. Corporate greed, non-sustainable energy policies, poverty, and piss-poor education and health care are what's wrong with America.

Let's see the good Senator tackle those first before we get to salty-tongued teens with baggy drawers.

[saltpoint]

14. No Jack Nicholson films had better be shown in South Carolina either.

Ol' Jack's film characters could really turn the air blue when they want to.

[last_texas_dem]

15. Glad there's someone in SC concerning himself with the real issues

facing young black men.

[BlooInBloo]

16. Sometimes you just gotta love old folks.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

17. ...

[Occam Bandage]

18. Also bans lawn-trespassing, back-talking, sass-mouthing. nt