It's now illegal to dress the way you want in Virginia

[zombie-a-go-go]

RICHMOND, Virginia (AP) -- Virginians who wear their pants so low their underwear shows may want to think about investing in a stronger belt.

The state's House of Delegates passed a bill Tuesday authorizing a $50 fine for anyone who displays his or her underpants in a "lewd or indecent manner."

Del. Lionell Spruill Sr., a Democrat who opposed the bill, had pleaded with his colleagues to remember their own youthful fashion follies.

During an extended monologue Monday, he talked about how they dressed or wore their hair in their teens. On Tuesday, he said the measure was an unconstitutional attack on young blacks that would force parents to take off work to accompany their children to court just for making a fashion statement.

"This is a foolish bill, Mr. Speaker, because it will hurt so many," Spruill said before the measure was approved 60-34. It now goes to the state Senate.

The bill's sponsor, Del. Algie T. Howell, has said constituents were offended by the exposed underwear. He did not speak on the floor Tuesday.

Spruill and Howell, also a Democrat, are both black.

[TeamBoone]

Lewd and/or indecent manner is highly objective. Wonder who makes the decision......

[KronoRed]

Nice idea, bad way of going about it

[jmcclain19]

"I know lewd and indecent when I see it"


God bless America

[zombie-a-go-go]

"Nice idea?"

You've got to be kidding me.

I think it's lewd and indecent for the 'robust fellow' across the street to mow his lawn without a shirt on. Let's slap him with a fine too. And low-cut blouses. High-heels more than 2" tall - they're too "sexually suggestive."

This is a load of crap, pure and simple.

[RedFanAlways1966]

I think it's lewd and indecent for the 'robust fellow' across the street to mow his lawn without a shirt on. Let's slap him with a fine too.

He would get fined in the city I live in... it is illegal to go shirtless in Oakwood, OH. This law was passed by the City Council awhile back. There are a lot of "well off" peeps in Oakwood and a lot of peeps have lawn service companies do their yardwork. Evidently the "well offs" didn't like seeing the lawn service guys working in their town shirtless... hence, the law that still exists today.

[traderumor]

He would get fined in the city I live in... it is illegal to go shirtless in Oakwood, OH. This law was passed by the City Council awhile back. There are a lot of "well off" peeps in Oakwood and a lot of peeps have lawn service companies do their yardwork. Evidently the "well offs" didn't like seeing the lawn service guys working in their town shirtless... hence, the law that still exists today.

They were probably worried about their desparate housewives digging the gardener just a little too much.

I just can't stop with the puns

[Brutus_the_Red]

He would get fined in the city I live in... it is illegal to go shirtless in Oakwood, OH. This law was passed by the City Council awhile back. There are a lot of "well off" peeps in Oakwood and a lot of peeps have lawn service companies do their yardwork. Evidently the "well offs" didn't like seeing the lawn service guys working in their town shirtless... hence, the law that still exists today.

Ahh, good old Oakwood. In the past 6 months, I have been pulled over 4 times in Oakwood because the police thought I was out past curfew. I'm 22. Very annoying.

I also got flagged by the Oakwood P.D. a few weeks ago for stopping in front of starbucks to let my girlfriend out of the car so she wouldn't have to walk in the rain. I guess I was impeding the rich folks path to the Oakwood club. :allovrjr:

[KronoRed]

My nice idea was meant in jest of course...

Running around in underwear to me is a little much, the other things they have in mind..are of course insanity

[Roy Tucker]

I've noticed that the older my son gets, the more his beltline is creeping back up to a normal level. He used to have half of his boxers hanging out (with subsequent derision from his dad). Now its just the waistband that peeks out.

These things are self-correcting. No need to legislate. What about a slip showing or a plumbers butt crack?

[RBA]

SNL

Image of Dan Ackroyd as the Refrigerator repair man pops in to my head.

[REDREAD]

oh the things lawmakers do when they're bored

Further evidence that government is too big. I find it ironic that it's ok for us to see Vitoria secrets ads on TV (and guys in boxers on TV), but some dude showing his underwear can get a ticket.

I can see this as a convienent excuse for policemen to harass people. No offense to the law enforcement people on this board, most are good people, but some cops are just out of control. In other words, I can see a traffic stop, and then the cop handing out an "underwear showing" ticket in addition, just out of spite.

[Johnny Footstool]

It's all subjective, true, but the line has to be drawn somewhere. I assume public nudity is illegal in Virginia, so there has to be a point where someone stops being "nude" and starts being "clothed."

[traderumor]

It's all subjective, true, but the line has to be drawn somewhere. I assume public nudity is illegal in Virginia, so there has to be a point where someone stops being "nude" and starts being "clothed."

I saw one gentleman on TV decrying the legislation as that good ole' catchall argument anytime a line is drawn on anything: "Who are they to tell people how to dress?" But does he realize that we are told how to dress, as in we must wear clothing covering all private parts, at a bare (nice pun, I guess) minimum? Does this have to be a response to any and all situations?

As for the comparision to the fat guy with his gut sticking out the bottom of the shirt or butt cracking, that is normally unintentional and most guys correct it as soon as they can. Sure, there are some slobs who don't, which is beyond me, but slovenish and intentionally running around with your underwear half exposed are two different matters. They are not exposing certain areas intentionally as a fashion statement. That is a big difference from "mopin'", at least that's what I understand the term to be.

[CougarQuest]

Can't imagine this passing the commonwealth supreme court, much less the federal.