It is often said that you “can’t legislate morality.” Are saggy pants a morality issue or something else?

The two meta-themes of the Jewish and Christian scriptures are rebellion and redemption. Nearly everything in life, including how we wear our clothes, can be understood in light of those two themes.

Thursday night we celebrated a Seder or Passover Feast as part of our house church’s preparation for Easter. Passover recounts how the God of Israel redeemed His people from oppression in Egypt. Despite ten opportunities, Egypt’s king refused to submit to the true ruler of the universe. On behalf of the LORD, Moses said, “Let my people go!”. Nine times Pharaoh replied, “You’re not the boss of me.”

Easter is the ultimate story of redemption. By His death and resurrection, Jesus Christ has redeemed not only God’s people, but all of creation. If we’re honest, we recognize that everything in our present world, ourselves included, is broken and decaying. On our very best days we fail to consistently do the right things, keep our promises, and love others. On our worst days we don’t even try. This cosmos-wide state of brokenness is the direct result of ancient and ongoing human rebellion. For those who would humble themselves and look to Jesus’ death and resurrection in faith, there’s the promise of a restored world–a new heaven and earth without suffering, disease, aging, regret, or death.

“Sagging” your pants such that your underwear and/or rear end is visible is a not-so-subtle form of rebellion. “Look at me parent/teacher/coach/principal/citizen/police officer. I won’t follow your rules or meet your expectations. I don’t care what you think about how I’m dressed– if fact, I hope you find it offensive. I won’t respect you, but I’ll demand that you respect me. After all, I’m powerful and dangerous. No one tells me what to do.”

It’s reasonable to make a law against sagging in school, but it won’t change the sagger’s heart. All humans are rebels in need of redemption, from the angriest gang-banger to Mother Theresa. We have customs, mores, rules, and laws to restrain the ill effects of rebellion, but there’s nothing within us that can transform our rebellious nature. That sort of change must originate with and be sustained by God, who alone has the power to redeem human hearts.

It is often said that you “can’t legislate morality.” Are saggy pants a morality issue or something else?

The Tennessee General Assembly approved a bill to prohibit public school students from dressing in an “indecent manner,” but the legislation was primarily aimed at young men who wear saggy pants. It is often said that you “can’t legislate morality.” Is this a morality issue or something else?

It seems that our ideologically dominated Tennessee General Assembly is printing money in the form of laws that require you to be their clones. What is most surprising is that the catalog of new legislative efforts are not even ideologically correct for those who say they champion freedom for decision making at the local level and who don’t want “big” government. It reminds me of the Pharisees who were so focused on righteousness that the letter of the law became more important than its spirit.

Memphis public schools already enforce a dress code with a uniform policy that includes pants belted at the waist. The state already possesses indecency laws. New laws that attempt to bully people to think, dress and act like a good Pharisee should, are simply undemocratic and morally weak. Our state lawmakers need to remember that they are not religious heads of state whose role it is to regulate the roles of women, the theory of evolution, or the dress codes of local schools. Government is for the people, and that is not just one part of the people who are ideologically or theologically correct.

Since laws are raining down upon us from our state capital that seek to legislate morality by taking away freedom, maybe a new proposal is in order. You might call it the moral umbrella policy. It simply suggests as a moral teacher once did that those without sin should cast the first stone. The problem is that I can already see the hail of stones.

It is often said that you “can’t legislate morality.” Are saggy pants a morality issue or something else?

My response: Does this statute come under the law of the Medes and Persians, so it cannot be reversed? If a student with saggy pants saves a teacher’s life, will he still be thrown into the lion’s den?

It is often said that you “can’t legislate morality.” Are saggy pants a morality issue or something else?

I agree that this is a moral issue, but wonder how it will be enforced. In a way, it reminds me of a distinction made at a recent meeting between “houselessness” and “homelessness”; just as a house alone might not be a true home, so it seems to me that cracking down on bagginess alone might solve a short term dilemma, but unless there is long-term role modeling and attitude adjustment at every level, including among us who are shocked at blatant behaviors, we may be stuck in a rut, just waiting for the next manifestation of rebellion.

It is often said that you “can’t legislate morality.” Are saggy pants a morality issue or something else?

The thought on morality is understood as it relates to legislation, but we have a responsibility to our youth, and that is to train up in the way they should go. Now I also believe that a man or women convinced against their will remains unconvinced. However that’s a man or a woman but as it relates to children we need to be direct them and be conclusive in our approach. The only challenge I see is who defines the proper code.

I am daily appalled at how so many young men are subdued by the thought that showing your underwear is okay, and I often let them know that it is not ok. They don’t understand that what they do today affects their tomorrow’s ability to influence and lead. So I am in agreement with laws that help to structure growth and maturity. I also believe that I a certain dress is mandatory it will also encourage and create the best atmosphere for education. I am not however in agreement for laws just to inflict punishment and consequences such as suspensions and etc. We need to allow training and instruction from others in the community to talk to these young men and women, to express the reasons for the ruling. We must show them that we are not trying to hurt but to help their future.

It is often said that you “can’t legislate morality.” Are saggy pants a morality issue or something else?

Most laws are legislated morality. Morality constitutes standards of approvable conduct, and some of these standards are codified into law. In the case of sagging it would be better left to the school districts to assess and enforce their own dress codes. I don’t know anyone, black or white, who approves of sagging except those fellows, black and white, that I occasionally see in public with their -— thank you, General Larry Platt -— “Pants On the Ground.” But I don’t know that this means sagging needs to be outlawed. Sagging doesn’t necessarily rise to immorality. (It doesn’t rise at all.) Sagging is ridiculed by most as dumb fashion, and some cultural currents are better addressed by ridicule than legal recourse.

So to the saggy-panted everywhere I make four declarations: 1) A gentleman’s belt is one of his nicest accessories. 2) Pants are designed to feel better on a man above his buttocks than below. 3) Note the word “under” in “underwear.” 4) You’re looking like a fool with your pants on the ground! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMwhl4IrPNc