A Weekly Note from Mayor Gary L. Graham
“Traditional Values, Progressive Thinking”
An O’Fallon resident recently emailed me an article regarding legislation that is currently being proposed in two southern states. The headline of the article read “Local Lawmakers Consider Ban on “Sagging Pants”. According to the article, local lawmakers in Georgia and Louisiana are considering whether to add or amend indecent exposure ordinances to include a ban on pants worn below the waist that reveal undergarments. CNN also recently ran a story on the “sagging pants” trend across our nation.
While I haven’t seen large numbers of O’Fallon’s youth taking part in this trend, I have seen some instances and I have to say that it is a sight that I would prefer not to see. Even though my age is well beyond what would be considered a young person, how would you like to see the Mayor walking around with “sagging pants”? I guarantee you would choose to pass on that sight.
My column last week talked about the results of the citizen survey that we completed this spring and one of the things the residents of O’Fallon said was that our city is a good place to live and they feel a strong sense of community.
One of the factors that support a strong sense of community is the personal responsibility that each and every one of us has to dress in a socially responsible manner when we are out in the community. When we dress appropriately, our entire community benefits and a good standard is set.
Rather than passing “sagging pants” legislation, I encourage the parents in O’Fallon to please be observant about the types of clothing their children are wearing and to explain to them why certain types of attire are not acceptable. While I realize that everyone has a “right” to self expression, improper attire usually sends a message to others that is the opposite of what the child intended.
If we all work together, we will be able to maintain our strong sense of community. The strong working relationship between City Hall and the residents we serve is another example of why O’Fallon is such a great community in which to live.
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