What is 'Sagging?'

If you've ever wondered where the fashion of sagging pants came from, you might be surprised to learn that it has a long and controversial history. Sagging pants are trousers that are worn below the waist, exposing the underwear or even the buttocks of the wearer. This style of dress is often associated with hip-hop culture, but it also has roots in the prison system and the skate scene.

The most common explanation for the origin of sagging pants is that it started in U.S. prisons, where inmates were not allowed to wear belts for safety reasons. As a result, they had to wear oversized uniforms that would often slip down their hips. Some sources claim that this was also a way of signaling sexual availability or submission to other prisoners, but this is not supported by evidence. In fact, sagging pants in prison could make one a target of ridicule or violence, rather than an invitation for sex.

However, sagging pants did not become a mainstream fashion trend until the early 1990s, when hip-hop artists like Ice-T and Too Short adopted it as part of their image. They were influenced by the street culture and the skate scene, where sagging pants were also common. Sagging pants gave them a rebellious and tough look, as well as a sense of freedom and comfort. Sagging pants also allowed them to show off their sneakers and their underwear brands, which became symbols of status and identity.

Sagging pants soon spread to the wider youth culture, especially among young men of color, who saw it as a way of expressing their individuality and resisting authority. Sagging pants also became a political statement, as some activists argued that it was a form of cultural expression that should be protected by the First Amendment. However, not everyone was a fan of sagging pants. Many older people, conservatives, and law enforcement officials viewed it as a sign of disrespect, delinquency, and criminality. They blamed sagging pants for causing social problems, such as school dropout, drug abuse, and gang violence.

Over the years, several attempts have been made to ban or regulate sagging pants in various settings, such as schools, airlines, public transportation, and local communities. Some places have imposed fines or even jail time for wearing sagging pants, arguing that it is a form of indecent exposure or disorderly conduct. However, these measures have been challenged by civil rights groups and legal experts, who claim that they are discriminatory, unconstitutional, and ineffective.

Sagging pants have also evolved over time, adapting to different styles and preferences. For example, in the early 2010s, some celebrities like Justin Bieber popularized the sagging of skinny jeans, which gave them a more fitted and sleek look. Sagging pants have also been worn backwards or with multiple layers of underwear or shorts. Sagging pants have also been embraced by some women, who have added their own twist to the trend.

Sagging pants are not just a fashion choice, but a cultural phenomenon that reflects the social and historical context of its wearers. They are a way of communicating one's identity, attitude, and mood. Sagging pants are also a source of controversy, debate, and criticism. The fashion of Sagging pants are not going away anytime soon, as they continue to evolve and influence new generations of fashion lovers.

It is part of the psychology of human beings in regard to individualism and how they relate to a larger social setting, not to mention the sense of rebellion particularly among young people.  Be it as it may, the style eventually fades as young people grow older.  Dress is a big part of sociology and psychology. It gives a glimpse of how humans interact with each other and portray their individuality while at the same time seeking attention from others.  

However, it is important for those who sag to understand that their display can be offensive. No one wants to see people's underwear or booty hanging out. It is just not a prudent thing to do especially if one is in school, church, or in a professional setting.  Moreover, situations can develop when others may cross the line and engage in sexual misconduct when they see a sagger. Displaying one's buttocks can be primitively interpreted as an invitation to sexual advances so one cannot be surprised if another makes a comment or may inappropriately touch or try to touch. Furthermore, those who sag, particularly minors need to be aware of voyeurs out there who love to secretly film buttocks. They may follow a sagger or use a lens to take photography from afar. These images can then end up online or in pornography circles.  

What do you think? Post your comment below on Disqus.  Be sure to follow the rules so your comment can go through.  

References:

- The Real History Behind Sagging Pants - Menswear Style

- Sagging Pants | Snopes.com

- Sagging (fashion) - Wikipedia

- Where Did Sagging of the Pants Originate? - Belowest

- Where did the fashion of sagging pants come from? (2024) - Fashioncoached

Knock Out Game

A new wave of stupidity is hitting city streets.  Kids and adults are engaging in a new "game" called "knock out."  In this "game," a person is struck behind his/her head without warning to the point of being knocked out cold.  Already several people have been attacked and one was killed.  New York City is rushing to pass a law to classify such an attack as gang related which can be punishable to up to 25 years in prison.  Minors caught would be tried as adults.

In NYC, Jews have been targeted so far and a 78 year old grandmother was also a victim of the brutal assault.  

See this disturbing video of an attack:




Obviously, the people promoting and carrying out this behavior are mentally ill.  Anti-social behavior is a trait found in those who are mentally ill or psychopathic.  If a person cannot realize that this activity is dangerous and has no shame to do it, then that shows that the person is clearly not in his/her right mind.  Luckily, some arrests have been made and police are patrolling the streets in order to protect the public an catch any attackers in the act. 


  

Source:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/22/knockout-game-arrests/3676649/
 
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/21/21565494-authorities-nationwide-probing-disturbing-trend-of-knockout-attacks-on-unsuspecting-pedestrians?lite

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/district-police-investigating-random-attacks-similar-to-knockout-game/2013/11/21/ca9e26c2-5154-11e3-9fe0-fd2ca728e67c_story.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/20/knockout-game_n_4310453.html

Ariel Castro Dead

Deranged kidnapper, abuser and killer; Ariel Castro was found dead in his prison cell on Tuesday at around 9:00 PM from an apparent suicide.  Castro was sentence to over 1,000 years in prison without parole for his horrific crimes against three young girls and babies who were killed in the womb.  Castro had been placed on protective custody, but not on suicide watch.  Under this protection, guards would monitor him every half hour.

Castro was believed to have a sociopathic disorder which did not allow him to process social environments and interaction properly.  He also had difficulty processing morality.  However, his suicide shows that he indeed had a conscience and felt guilt and fear.  A sociopath normally would be indifferent to his situation and any situation he/she may cause or have caused on others.

However, some believe this suicide is a message of defiance to his victims and the legal system.  I personally do not see it this way.  The guy was a coward, lived like one and died like one.  

May God forgive him of his sins and may God bring peace to his victims.      




Source:

http://news.yahoo.com/ohio-man-held-3-women-captive-commits-suicide-043500304.html

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/sociopathic-disorder-ariel-castro-condition-explained-article-1.1445248

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/09/04/20320005-ariel-castros-death-is-last-slap-to-victims-faces-psychologist-says?lite

Boobs and Buns

I was reading a few things online and found them amusing and had to write on them.  This is why I chose the title "Boobs and Buns" to make light of what I read.

Boobs
Apparently, it is legal in NYC for a woman to go shirtless.   When I say shirtless, I don't mean wearing a bra, sports bra or even a bikini top.  I mean completely shirtless with the breasts exposed to the world.  Women in NYC can bare it all without issue from the cops.  As a matter of fact, the NYPD was instructed to leave women who do this alone and break up crowds that may form around her who are naturally curious to see some boobies.

The issue began in the early 90's when five women were arrested at Rochester.  The issue went to court (People v.Ramona Santorelli and Mary Lou Schloss) and the judge ruled that the women had a right to be shirtless in public.  These women of course are remnants of the hippies of the past who under the banner of "freedom" and feminism burned their bras in protest.

Buns
Another story involves a proposed law to ban what is called "sagging."  No.. this law does not
involve breasts... it involves a style of wearing - or not wearing - clothes.  "Sagging" is a style usually visible on males and sometimes lesbians in which their jeans/pants hang so low that underwear is visible to all.

In New Jersey, some politicians are taking the issue seriously by claiming that residents and visitors are complaining about the rear views as they try to enjoy some time on the Jersey Shore.  The style is usually visible on youngsters who don't seem to care much about who is viewing their undergarments and its contents.

"Sagging" supposedly originated from prison.  Prisoners are not allowed to wear belts, so pants sag low and cannot be contained so inmates simply leave them sagging.  Rappers and Hip Hop artists adopted the trend and their fans are now imitating them.  Moreover, it is also mentioned that sagging is a homosexual cue to attract a sex partner.  A theory exists that while in prison, inmates who may be homosexual or just sexually aroused, sag in order to signal others that he wants to be penetrated by another male - usually a well endowed one.  The display of his buttocks is an attempt to arouse other males and attract a sexual partner.   Another theory that goes around is that some guys want to show off their underwear brands in an attempt to show "social status" since not all underwear costs the same.

My thoughts
These stories are strange but interesting, to say the least.  The debate can go either way in my opinion.  Men and women have breasts, so why do men get to be shirtless and women must be clothed?  It seems unfair right?  Well unfortunately, our species is a species that sometimes cannot have full control of bodily desires.  We cannot shut off appetites of any kind with ease.  That being said, if women are allowed to walk bare-chested, rest assured that she will be sexually attacked in some way.  This may not be because she is "asking for it."  It is because there will be males who simply cannot control themselves.  They may be mentally ill or simply so aroused that they cannot help but attack a woman.

The body is good.  God made it.  We should not be ashamed of our bodies.  There is so much sexual taboo regarding female breasts, but they serve a function: the feeding of human offspring.  Round breasts exist on women, not only to identify her as female; but also to provide nutrition for her offspring.

As an apocrine gland, the breast produces milk with antibodies geared towards helping an infant develop.  Men find breasts attractive not because they are 'sexy' or what not, but because of this function.  Males are hardwired to find the best mate in order to produce the best offspring.  Women with the "best" breasts are perceived as more attractive because of this hard-wiring.  Because of this, I think it is wiser to have women cover up.  This is not because of any issues with equality, but for safety.

In regards to "sagging," I am all for freedom of expression; however, sagging is a bit silly, tacky and unhygienic.  It makes no sense to walk around with your pants hanging below your buttocks while your underwear is showing.  This makes it nearly impossible to walk with a good posture and simply makes the sagger look ridiculous.  Moreover, the exposing of the rear is unhygienic.  This is an area where human waste is released from the body.  When sitting or leaning on a surface, fecal matter and smells will bond with seats and other places where the buttocks rest.  This is disgusting and poses a health risk for those who sit or lean wherever the sagger was resting at.  Health risks also affect the sagger.  If a sagger is sitting on a bus seat, subway seats, park bench; the bacteria present on those surfaces can be transferred to the buttocks which may lead to boils or even abscesses.  The warm weather will further aggravate this because the area is prone to sweat/moisture and body heat that will increase bacteria growth.

Furthermore, since sagging can be interpreted as a signal for homosexual attraction, homosexual
men may mistake heterosexuals males for homosexual ones and a problem may arise if the former flirts with the latter.  There is also the issue of voyerism.  While reading on sagging, I noticed videos on youtube that show cell phone quality videos of saggers being stalked.

The videos were obviously recorded by voyeurs who seem to get off on watching the movement of a sagger's buttocks in a public area.  Unbeknownst to the sagger, he is being videotaped from behind and his parts are then displayed on the internet.  I seriously doubt that a guy would want someone following him and having his buns recorded by a cell phone camera.

In closing, there are a lot of crazy people out there.  It is better to be safe than sorry.  Women should cover up and guys need to wear their pants correctly.  A woman is not defined by her breasts.  Keeping them covered does not make her less equal than a male.  Moreover, a guy has no need to show his "booty" or "cakes" - as the youth call them - for the world to see.  This is behavior unbecoming of a heterosexual gentleman.

So ladies, keep the clothes on and guys keep the cakes in the bakery.                  




Source:

http://www.policymic.com/articles/42359/topless-women-in-public-not-breaking-the-law-says-nypd
http://www.boston.com/travel/destinations/2013/06/11/cheeky-problem-town-restrict-baggy-pants/Vqu0PM6Tx8oeIQji6z8FRJ/story.html

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's day to all. 

Today is a special day where we honor our fathers.  Every day should be father's day in fact.  Without our fathers, we would not be conceived.  Without our fathers, boys would not learn what it is to be masculine nor will girls learn what the opposite sex is. 

In today's world where divorce is rampant and alternative families are being pushed as normal, this day is becoming more and more significant.  Fatherhood is a dying breed.  Starting a family used to be something a man was proud of. It was one of the high-points of being a "man."  Unfortunately, far too often, some men have sex with their girlfriends or wives and then disappear when news comes that she is pregnant.  Childhood has become a disease that men must run from. 

This begs the question: Where are the real men?  It takes a real man to stick by his woman and care for her and his child.  Only a coward would run away from that natural responsibility which is wired in all males.  Women are not sex toys that men use to have fun and then move on.  Only boys play with toys. 

Masculinity is also under attack.  With the introduction of "gender theory," the meaning of what it means to be a man is watered down to personal cultural taste.  Even women can be masculine according to this theory.  It is one of the biggest deceptions of all time.  It is creating societies where no one knows what a male or female is.  It turns the human species into a fictitious androgynous race like the "J'naii" in Star Trek, The Next Generation series.

Walking around the city, it is hard not to notice guys wearing jeans so tight that they look girlish by showing off hips and buttocks.  Some even pluck or wax their eyebrows so much that they look effeminate and just strange.  What is interesting is that this style is being used by heterosexual males, not just homosexuals. 

What is the world coming to?

I believe it was Our Lady of La Sallette who warned that fashions would be introduced in the world that will offend God greatly.  She was right.   

The role of the man is being attacked.  Having a father is extremely important in a child's life.  Studies show that children who grow without their fathers have problems in society.  Many do poorly in school, get involved in drugs and criminal activity, and many end up in prison. 

Homosexual adoption is a big problem because of this.  A child with parents of the same gender will only bring about confusion and problems.  Nature only provides for what it has already designed.  In other words, a male and female union is the only way a child can be reproduced.  Therefore, this union is the only one necessary for a child's healthy development. 

Let us pray for all fathers and all men who might be considering starting a family.  Let us pray for all deceased fathers, both good and bad.