SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB) –The Black Mental Health Alliance of Massachusetts says it’s a behavioral health issue for young men to walk around with their pants sagging. Under state law it could be considered an offense punishable by a fine, even jail time. “This is a mental health issue. This is leading these kids to think that all their whole gang mentality; they should be gangster and all that craziness,” said Dr. Omar Reid, founder of the alliance. He says the message is specifically aimed at the black community in hopes that it will provoke a change. Dr. Reid is also ready to take the heat the video has already been getting. “I think it’s ridiculous, I think there’s other ways that we can go about empowering our youth and teaching them how to dress appropriately,” Qiana Johnson said.
The group released the PSA Thursday in an effort to discourage young people from sagging their pants, citing that you can get fined up to $300, even face up to 3 years behind bars for it.
The PSA cites MA General Law Section 272 Chapter 16, which states that a man or woman, married or unmarried, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 3 years, or in jail for not more than two years or by a fine of more than $300.
A supervisor at the Holyoke Police Department told me he thinks arresting people for sagging their pants could be a stretch under that law, even though it could be considered a lewd act.
Of course this video has been getting a lot of mixed reaction, and at the W.E.B. Du Bois Academy in Springfield, it’s no different. “It’s kind of hurtful, stressful, because that’s how most of us black men in Springfield are portrayed, even though most of us don’t,” lamented 17 year-old Travis Russell. “It doesn’t make any sense that people sag their pants. It doesn’t make them look cool, it makes them look dumb,” 16 year-old Jahleel Gabriel stated. “I think it definitely points to the home and monitor how our children are dressed,” said Len Camano, a mentor at the academy.
The same supervisor with the Holyoke Police Department notes that while they do enforce the laws. He said he personally wouldn’t make that arrest, because it would also crowd the court system.
However, Dr. Reid noted that he has also been getting a lot of positive feedback from the PSA.
It should state pull your damn pants up you mopes
I feel ones choice of dress can be very vulnerable to critique when the world we live in today has overlapping cultures and subcultures. The dramatic difference between cultures and subcultures allow for curious minds to perceive the, “sagging”, fashion choice in any random manner they feel fit to imagine. In the same light, the same warrant provides opportunity for one to develop a common understanding for the foreign dressing style. For example, due to adaption being one of our strongest a most weak traits as humans, the geographic placement between the separate overlapping cultures and subcultures in our world becomes the fuel for the lack of understanding within the differences in all merits. That’s like saying that Sea Bass understands why we eat them. Plus to me, jeans and certain pants feel comfortable being worn in specific ways to the fit and my style of dress. If someone chooses to sag the pants to their tuxedo, I feel that as someone expressing freedom of choice.
I participate in a music development workshop called, “HNDP Los Angeles”, and we conduct many discussions about the same topic in many of our classes. I took the time to incorporate some of the debate issue into the chorus of a song. As well, I have incorporated the concept into my stage name as, “Mr. Sag N My Jeans”.
If you happen to be interested in contacting me for more information follow this link and listen to the song that was mentioned above:
http://mrsagnmyjeans.bandcamp.com/track/sag-n-my-jeans
-Mr. Sag N My Jeans
Think about it public obscenity showing off their backs side with damn pants down their knees. Fine them! Its ugly style .
when I was at the chicopee Wal-Mart last night. there was a guy walking through the store with his pants almost all the way down. I could tell you what his boxers look like. it was gross and vile. I look forward to the psa on this to be enforced!
Typical revenue generating bull**** from broke cities that will be selectively enforced on minorities.
Pull the pants up that look went out in the 90′s
The whole reason saggy pants came about was in prison, to let other prison mates know they are available for “services”.
I, too, could do without the sagging pants look. It’s stupid looking, obnoxious and causes the wearer to walk funny. But lewd and lascivious as defined by this law? Or gross and vile? I just don’t see it. I’ll stick with stupid and obnoxious, but as long as they aren’t doing anything worse, I’d pretty much leave it at that.
Section 16. A man or woman, married or unmarried, who is guilty of open and gross lewdness and lascivious behavior, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than three years or in jail for not more than two years or by a fine of not more than three hundred dollars.
Tanya – I’m pretty sure that’s an urban legend.
Next thing you know you’re saying they should have their own schools.
I Thank its disgusting how people think its cool to wear their plants wrapped rounds their knees. It is a lewd cat and they should be fined for public indecency.
It’s not an urban legend, I know many prison guards.
um I did find out its from prisons. its on Wikipedia. I can find other sites on the topic for the origins.http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagging_(fashion)
I’m pretty sure that it’s an urban legend perpetuated by your prison guard friends.
It’s an urban legend perpetuated by your prison guard friends.
why not you spend time doing research on it like I am doing and give me some facts.
“According to Greg Mathis, sagging was adopted from the United States prison system where belts are prohibited.” from the source Laura is citing. Has to do with beltlessness. Not “services”.
After a second offense they should be forced to wear overalls for 6 months.
When they hit 70, their pants will fall down on their own. I guess they think this is mature.
I have to drive up State St. every weekday and the idiots wearing their pants way down are in droves it seems. An end to that idiotic habit would be to have the police arrest them and have the parents pay a $300 fine. That kid wouldn’t be wearing those saggy AZZ pants anymore.And if they continue to wear them down, continue to fine them. We need more money for illegal drug enforcement.
No body wants to see your damn underwear……..
What’s funny is that fad is ‘prison speak’ for “I’m available”. What did Forrest say? Oh yeah, “Stupid is as stupid does.”
It’s not just the “thugs” or minorities that do this anymore. Go to a skate park. Skinny jeans down past their a**. I don’t get it at all. My cousin is a skater and does this all the time. So it has been adopted by many other groups of people.
@Tammy Trevino just because your a city bureacrat dosen’t mean your opinion matters more.Go back & fix Spfld housing problem. Worry about the decreped city housing & not someone’s underpants showing.
@tammy stop looking at their asses…… I have a question… If I wear my wind pants under my jeans can I put my jeans around my knees??? No there’s no ignorance in this story at all!! Sagging pants mean your in a gang!! Lol I’m calling the cops on my goddamn neighbor then cuz that fat ******* always has his pants hanging off his *** and he don’t even wear boxers to cover his crack!! Goddamn plumbers!!
The worst part of this….. If you cross that imaginary line called the Vermont boarder you can walk around naked if you want…..
nazi’s . where did freedom of expression go , ever take the time to think these kids are looking for some sort of attention ? people are so quick to punish kids . especially if they are not clones of the religious hypocrites.
If there is a law, then it needs to be enforced for every instance. There should be no consideration for overcrowding the courts or jail cells. If you make a law and shove it through, then you need to back it up or leave the issue alone.
These little punks need to be fined. Fine them until they can’t afford to buy the pants. A belt is a cheap alternative. They’ll be part of the society that determines these rules soon and they need to learn lessons like how to be considerate and respectful. Just because you feel it’s a freedom of expression doesn’t mean that it is alright to do in public.
Assert your right to be different at home, with the curtains tightly pulled closed. We don’t want to see it.
You can’t legislate good taste or couture unless it is indecent or obscene. Is boxers showing and pants at knees more indecent or obscene than other modes of dress like bathing suits or short shorts or low cut dresses? We have too many laws already, most of them taking the place and supplanting good common sense and good parenting. Let them dress like idiots, it hurts no one but themselves.
Its Obama’s fault…..
Back in the 60′s at Longmeadow High School, boy’s hair could not touch the backs of their collars. Pipe stem pants were also outlawed. A hall monitor could make a boy suspected of wearing pipe stem pants remove their pants over their shoes. If the legs were too tight to pull over the shoes, they got “written up”. Sneakers could not be worn in the classrooms, only in the gym.
@neal. That is the most intelligent way of putting it. : )
The reality is that their behavior and disgusting underwear is affecting others. Parents need to teach kids how to live in a society in which we all contribute. It’s not all “about me”.
I, too, feel that there are far too many rules. But if there is a rule then it needs to be used or taken from the books. Kids should be fined for showing their underwear and unless you’re four years old…it’s not appropriate to wear pajamas out in public either.
Grow up…learn that to be considerate of others shows maturity. Tolerance is considering how others feel, sometimes ahead of your own thoughts.
And yes, this clothing style should have died out in the 90′s. Some people didn’t get the message. Some people are still wearing big hair, too.
U talking about tolerance. SO TOLERATE IT. ! HYPOCRITE
Yeah make them wear skinny jeans instead.
IF THE YOUNG KIDS AND THE STUPID ONLY MEN DON’T WANT TO PULL THEIR PANTS UP.. THEN GO AHEAD AND FIND THEM.. 1TH TIME $300.00.. 2ND TIME $500.00.. THIRD TIME $1000.00.. IF THEY DON’T PAY.. THEN THEY HAVE TO DO WORK DETAIL.. EX; CLEANING SOMEONES YARD.. KEEPN OUR MAIN STREET CLEAN.. SHOVELING SNOW FOR THE ELDERLY… ETC.. IN MY HOME TOWN IN LOUISIANA .. IT’S ALREADY AGAINST THE LAW PERIOD.. THEY CALL IT INDECENT DISREPECT FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS.. AND ALSO WHAT A WAY FOR THE CITY TO MAKE MONEY…. FIND THEM ALL …GIRLS TOO..