Topic : 01/28 The Baggy Pants Debate

Hey Dr. Phil,

I usually don't do this....not because I have some negative connotation or anything, I guess I have lived so long just mindin' my own business and raising my family by our values. I figured someone else with more "importance, value, connection or $$" would take action.....I  KNOW  it is time we stop using the excuse of "political correctness", or "freedom of choice" or "tolerance" to rule our disconnection with the human race.

On that note.....YOU MISSED THE POINT!

The saggy pant thing is in no way a racial problem....it is a generation problem. It is more of the same issues our younger generation is continuing to display. It is about respect.....mutual respect for yourself and others! We continue to live with an attitude of entitlement, selfishness, and a belief of "I am what matters".

To try to control behavior with laws is silly. Have our current laws deterred those that fill our jail systems? Does a speed limit really stop those who feel "entitled" or justified in their choice to speed?

You often say, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is insanity.....well how are all of these laws working for us?!

I think you also missed the point of the hip hop guy who wrote the song...(sorry, I forgot his name). He didn't set out to offend the gay community...he apologized and went one step further, he changed the lyrics of his songs. He was trying to explain the history of the sagging fashion. No one really believes that "sex" in prisons is about a persons sexual identity...maybe for some, but come on....it is about CONTROL!

Didn't you yourself recently speak in the media about someone or something and then have your "intentions" among other things challenged? You followed by making a statement with an apology and then took action by not speaking on that subject any more. OK, accepted, we are encouraged (by you and evidence of past actions) to believe your truth here and move on. I think he deserves that same mutual respect and support. (That is my point)

You said repeatedly today "we should pick our battles".....shouldn't we really "battle" any attitude that is offensive, or disrespectful to other human beings? Maybe if we "battled" over the "little things" that display attitudes of dishonesty, anger, sarcasm, selfishness, disrespect, disobeying, lack of honor and integrity

at an early age and stage we could change the future of our world. MAYBE...we wouldn't have the really "BIG THINGS" that follow due to tolerance and apathy over all these "little things".

It is likel iving the "Golden Rule"......

I hope it is apparent from my "message" here, We should not being racial, We should not being legalistic, and I am not condoning sagging pants (it is pretty ugly from a fashion point & it is offensive to the majority)

---Hey, the FCC just majorly fined NYPD Blue for showing "butt" on their TV show in 2003.....why then should we tolerate the underwear and very often the "butt" in our communities and nation, I am saying maybe, we really need a National Campaign to hold up a mirror and check our attitudes before and after we speak, act or react !

Choosing to show "good" attitudes is not a sign of weakness...it is a sign of strength! You are demonstrating that you are strong enough to be meek (not nieve or weak)for another's benefit. WOW...how could that impact our world......

So the topic is baggy pants...  Well in my opinion I don't find baggy pants offensive.  The men that are wearing these pants are not showing anything that would be offensive to others, I mean you can't even see skin.  Saggy pants started out as a fashion in response to hip hop culture regardless of what race started it now alot of younger men  from diverse ethnicity are wearing them that way.  What I do find offensive is when I start seeing skin and seeing these young individuals who are dressing in sexual and provactive ways. I feel that the if anyone wants to start any sort of campaign in regards to attire or how we should be dressing a lot of effort should be put forth in the realm of our young daughters and our public school systems .  Well atleast those that aren't enforcing school uniforms. Just the other day I was dropping my daughter off at school and a young lady that appeared to be a 7th grader was wearing a skirt so short that she had to keep pulling it down.  I mean if she would have bent over just slightly all the world would have had a lot to see. I pray that that day she just didn't happen to drop her pencil.  I mean just in general these young girls who are under the age of 18 (and who has role models like Britney Spears etc. etc.) should be talked to and advised that showing their peers or young men their skin is not reflecting positively on the individual that  they  truly are.  SHOWING THE MOST SKIN IS NOT IN!!  These young ladies should cover up and learn that being intelligent and conveying yourself to others in that manner is a much better approach when stepping into society.  Believe it or not, your mind gains you more respect than anything.  I think that trying to develop ordiances or such to enforce the way that these young men are dressing is just not realistic. If we could start ordiances I would be on the front line seeking laws about these young ladies and their dress.  That's where my focus would be versus a male wearing his pants low and just showing fabric.  All around despite how I feel in regards to sexual appearance and attire, society should not have the right to step into our parenting margins.  Bottom line it is the parents are who should be instilling morals and teaching about how to convey the right message to society.   I can't find anything wrong with mens clothing the only crime I see is that they are buying pants that are way bigger than what their true size is.  The problem lies in young girls and teenage clothing.  The fashion designers create a design that produces a finished product that is a skirt or shorts that are not accomadating to those young ladies who are tall or the clothing is just made wayyyyy to short!  To close,  I know a lot of males that wore or wear baggy pants and to be honest 9 times out of 10 as they age their pants do to.  They begin to pull thier pants up! 

#1, these black guys need to learn how to speak english.  I could barely understand them.

#2. The only blacks I come in contact with are the ones who are incarcerated at the prison I work with. Sagging is a sign of a degenerate.

#3. This needs to be stopped.

Is the forreal? People are trying to ban people from wearing baggy pants. What's next? Are they going to try and ban females from wearing short skirts or halter tops or even thongs? I mean what extreme are people willing to go to just to cntrol people?

My boyfriend is a professional, wears business suits everyday to work, and is very clean cut when he is at work. When he comes home or wants to go out with his friends or just go shopping with me, he doesnt want to wear those types of clothes. So yes he wears baggy jeans and he sags. It doesnt make him ay less of a professional.

For the people that are on here saying that people that wear baggy or saggy pants means they are uneducated or have no job or anything that stereotypes people need to take a step back and think about what they are saying. I'm in college and I see plenty of guys walking around with bagg and saggy pants. These guys are also some of the smartest people in the school.

Judging people by what they wear is wrong. There are so many things I could stereotype about, but I choose not to. I know that people may look one way on the outside, but there is something completely different inside. I say we should all wear nothing. That will solve the problem of what people wear and will save people a lot of money.

I don't understand what the problem is.

There is a difference between baggy pants & your butt & "UNDER"wear hanging out.

Baggy pants still fit around your waist. If you check the size of pants it has a waist size not thigh size.

We were taught from our parents that you dress for success. At no point would I have been hired walking into potential employers looking like that and I am a white chick! It seems to me that black people wear their feelings on there sleeves and should get over theirselves. It's not acceptable from any race and definately not mine. It is replusive to see butt crack and these "baggy" pants. Eveybody just needs to put this stuff back where it belongs. Otherwise, just grab a fig leaf, what the hell. Why spend money on clothing at all?? It would probably look better than this and safer too, wouldn't have to fall when you try and run. HAHAHA

Hey Mary,

I would hesitate to teach any young woman that government has the right to made decisions like this.  I would rather teach her how to start collecting signatures from others her age (male and female) and present the list to the manager of a favorite hang out asking them to set a dress code.   This is the way WE can make positive change and not let the government into our houses any more than they already are.