Young black men can succeed without their pants sagging!Young black men can succeed without their pants sagging!
by Pastor C. L. Gipson, Sr. Pastor of God's Family Church
Dear Editor,
I’m writing this article out of concern for our young people especially our young black men. They are the future stewards of our race and nation. In order for any people to prosper there must be relational structure, respect for authority and one another.
Many young men have adopted the Hip Hop style of sagging their pants as a fashion expression. I don’t know whether or not they know the history behind the style. Many of us do things because everyone’s doing it without knowing where it came from.
Whatever you do you should know the history behind the practice. Sagging or yarding the pants started in the prison system. Clothing did not fit perfectly and belts weren’t allowed because they were used for suicides and as weapons. Many inmates’ pants were worn in a sagging fashion because of the loose fit and lack of a belt to keep them up around the waist.
The other reason guys “slung” their pants was to advertise their behinds to other males for the purpose of engaging in homosexual sex acts. I wonder do the young men that sag their pants understand it’s a means of enticing homosexual advances. No self respecting person should want to look like they’re in prison when they are free. Why wear your clothes in prison style when you are a free man?
Gangsta rappers, many of whom did time, popularized this fad way back in the late 80’s and early nineties. How many fashion trends have lasted that long? It seems like the more vulgar the fad the longer it lasts. I have personally seen young black men rejected for employment because they were sagging their pants. Is your fashion statement worth losing a job opportunity?
As a race of people in America, blacks are about 15% of the general population. However black males make up one third of the state and federal prison population. More than 10% of black males between 25 and 29 are incarcerated. Compare that 2% Hispanic and 1.2 % white males that are incarcerated in the same age group.
If we are going to rise up as a people it has to start with our young men. Young men, if you want to be respected, you must respect others. Sagging your pants is disrespectful to everyone around you. Respect yourself. Respect your father and your mother. Respect other women the way you would want your mother, sister, and daughter respected. When you disrespect others, disrespect will come back as the harvest of what you planted. How can you demand respect when you are disrespecting everyone with your behind out. No one will respect you dressed like that.Believe that!
There’s nothing wrong with styles and fads as long as you’re decent. Showing your underwear and the crack in your butt is not decent. Don’t just follow the crowd, THINK FOR YOURSELF. Be a trendsetter, not a trend follower.
In these days of racial profiling with a justice system that’s already tilted against black males why would you want to fit the stereotypical image of a young black thug? Aren’t there enough challenges already without making it harder for yourself? I know T.V., movies, rappers and the Hip Hop industry make it look cool and glamorous, but they’re making megabucks on you. You are being pimped and played. Very little of what you see is real. Snoop don’t live in the hood. “50” don’t live in the hood. You can’t even drive up to their secluded estates. Stop imitating people that are hustling you. You have a bright future ahead of you if you make the right choices.
Don’t dress for prison and failure, dress for success. You can dress cool and decent at the same time.
In closing I want to say to parents “why aren’t you raising your children”. If you love them you will give them direction for their sakes as well as yours. Stop letting them leave the house with their pants between their butt and their knees. They have to walk wide legged just to keep their pants from falling to their ankles.
Let’s encourage our young people to make the right choices and good decisions. I don’t know about you, but I want to see them succeed. Every generation should do a little better than the last one did. We need to pass the baton to a generation that has the home training to take us higher. Come on young brothas don’t dress for failure, DRESS FOR SUCCESS.
For comments or questions call 318-614-2199 or e-mail at carlgipson@att.net of Twitter at carlgipsonsr.
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