It is to District 3 Caddo Commissioner Michael Williams:
Caddo Parish District 3 Commission Michael Williams said it was an incident at a local Walmart that offended him and some elderly customers that spurred him to push for an ordinance that would prohibit wearing pajama pants in public."I saw a group of young men wearing pajama pants and house shoes," he said. "At the part where there should have been underwear," his private parts were showing through the fabric.
Offensive? You bet. Nanny state? Yep. Trying to legislate common sense? Absolutely.
Passing a law like this might put the People of Walmart site out of business.
Of course the ACLU has already come out against the proposed ordinance:
The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana released a letter from Executive Director Marjorie R. Esman Friday afternoon, saying “clothing is a form of expression protected under the Constitution of the United States.”
Is this a sign of an overall decline in America? Inconsideration of others? Or is it just poor "home-training?" Laziness?
I'm reminded of my mother and grandmother who would never consider going out shopping without stockings and gloves on. You dressed to go downtown! What would grandmother think of the young mother with three kids going to Walmart in her Family Guy pjs and slippers to buy PopTarts?
Since we already have indecency laws on the books, possibly we should just consider going with that one if some guy wants to go to Walmart with his junk exposed.
Added: After I posted this I went to Super One (local supermarket) and lo and behold...a gentleman about 50 or so was walking with a young child through the grocery store. He was wearing a fur hat, a white crew neck t-shirt, and cartoon print black pajama pants with his slide on fuzzy slippers.
Photo credit: Mike Silva - The Shreveport Times
I completely agree with your last line. If the person wasn't decent in public, then there are laws in the books already.
ReplyDeleteWhen I see people out in public in pajamas I assume they are narcoleptic. ;-]
I'm kind of for this one, actually ...
ReplyDeleteJazz One, Wrong disorder. I think it would be more like sleep walking.
ReplyDeleteYa' know...The Mrs. and I have talked about this subject often over the last many years.
ReplyDeleteReally, we have.
To be honest, it does not bother me one bit if someone chooses to wear pajamas in public. If they are wearing SOMETHING that covers up an ugly body, it suits me just fine.
We first began discussing this when the fad of young women (probably college students) started hitting the Walmart, or grocery stores clad in flannel pajama pants & house shoes. My take was "Well...at least they don't have short shorts on, and I'm forced to look at their pasty white bird legs."
As time has rocked along since those days, I've not really changed my opinion. What somebody chooses to embarrass themselves with in public is no skin off my big old nose.
I prefer flannel pajama pants to halter tops that hide nothing...and drag-assing jeans (like I saw today at The Kroger on Benton Road).
Doesn't bother me one bit...as long as somebody covers up, I'm cool with it.
And...today I actually saw a pink nightgowned woman, with the traditional fuzzy house shoes, and curlers walking from her house to the Texaco station talking on a cell phone.
I think she might have been off work for MLK day.
If people want to look stupid in public, by all means, go ahead. Not my business or anyone else's unless they are naked. When I was in college, we went to the store in our PJs all the time. We went to class that way at UGA. I'd love for it to be socially acceptable to go shopping that way some days!
ReplyDelete