canny granny

The Florida Senate wants public school students to pull up their pants.

Several southern U.S. towns and cities have already passed “saggy pants” laws aimed at outlawing what some teenagers consider a fashion statement — wearing pants half way down their buttocks.

Despite being the butt of jokes, the sagging style first appeared among prison inmates as over-sized uniforms were issued without belts to prevent suicide and their use as weapons. The style spread through rappers and music videos, from the ghetto to the suburbs and around the world.

As these indecency laws are pushed through, the real issue is the hip-hop style itself, which critics say is worn as a badge of delinquency, with its distinctive walk conveying thuggish swagger and a disrespect for authority.

Do sagging pants represent an offensive lifestyle which leads to destructive behavior?