The Sag Debate

To sag or not to sag? That is the question that some young men in the town of Delcambre, Louisiana cannot ask. The answer for them is no. In Delcambre, wearing sagging pants is against the law. The fine for the offense, can cost up to $500 and a six-month sentence. Other towns in Louisiana, Georgia, Virginia, New Jersey, and Connecticut are considering or have already sanctioned this measure. Sagging is the style of wearing loose pants below the waist. It is widely believed that sagging started in prison. Belts were forbidden and clothes were not tailored to size. Another rumor is that gay prisoners sagged their pants to let others know they were available for sex. In the early '90's it is believed that sagging went from prisons to the gangs of Los Angeles. The style "blew up," (to become popular) when the MTV crowd began watching videos. It was then that young men began to emulate this style from west coast rappers like, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre. Hey, does anyone remember the Dr. Dre classic, Nothin' But A G Thang.


I find it hard to believe, that after 10+ years, gangsters and thugs are single-handedly fueling the multi-billion dollar clothing industry. It is difficult to ignore that the hip-hop culture has made an impression on fashion, not only in this country but around the world. Brands like PhatFarm, BabyPhat, Roca Wear and Sean John have made and impact in the fashion industry.

My godson, Ryan, wears his pants sagging. He said he sags for comfort. He told me that he and his friends are often profiled because they sag. He told me he tries not to let it bother him, because he's got two strikes against him anyway (he's black and a male). His philosophy is, if not this, then it would be something else. Young black males aren't the only one's that wear sagging pants. White males wear them too. Some blacks look at this as they (whites males) are trying to be black. That view is narrow because this portion of the hip-hop culture has managed to transcend race, culture, and socioeconomic status. It's global. Ryan believes it's worse for young white males who sag, because they are viewed by other whites as trying to be black (which carries a more harsh judgement).

Ryan does agree that those who wear their pants below the butt are stereotyped as gangsters or thugs. "It doesn't mean that they are a thug" he said. He said "being a thug is not always tied to how you dress but more in how you act." To him, wearing your pants below your butt is extreme and looks stupid. He told me that, he prefers to wear his pants loose, mid-butt, but with a polo or 4X white tee-shirt over his pants. But, wait a minute isn't all sagging the same? According to Ryan, no. You would be surprised to know, that there are different sag styles (who knew). Needless to say Ryan made it his mission to illuminate my path to enlightenment (bless his heart).

Style one, sits just below the waist. The pants are loose, but it doesn't require a belt or that you have to constantly pull them up. Style two, sits to the middle part of your butt. According to Ryan, at this point a belt is optional and be prepared to pull the pants up constantly (which he says he's used to). Style three, is placing the pants underneath the butt. A belt is a must. Be prepared to walk like you are either constipated, or you have a tampon lodged somewhere in your nether regions. With this style, guys usually choose to wear either a tucked in "wife beater" (A-style t-shirt) or a shorter t-shirt so that the underwear is visible.

Much to the dismay of many parents sagging has left the confines of city life and has moved to the suburbs. Some people are still of the mindset that only gang bangers and thugs sag. Some view sagging as a threat to public safety . What?! Can someone please enlighten me how wearing sagging pants is a threat to public safety. We are not talking about drunk driving here. Saying that you are criminal just because you wear your pants low is ridiculous. I think the only threat are to the young men who wear them below the buttocks. They walk funny and they look like they are going to trip over themselves. I would be willing to bet, that they are all going to have back problems by the time they are 30.

Jill Fields, author of "An Intimate Affair: Women, Lingerie, and Sexuality" offers a different view of sagging that's worth reading. I'm not against sagging as a whole. I just don't want to see your underwear. That would go for women with thongs too. OK, I admit, when I see sag style three, I just want to run up to him and pull his pants down. I think to myself, what is he going to do, chase me? But seriously, I don't believe sagging should be criminalized, nor do I believe African-American and Latino males should be profiled. Aren't there more productive ways to impact our young people?

Chew New?

I was talking to a friend, who was frustrated about a NEW pack of gum that she bought. I asked her what the problem was. Why would she have a problem with a simple piece of gum? OK, so maybe not so simple. My friend, admitted she got caught up in the package. She said, this new gum looked so cool she had to buy it. Later, she was angry about her discovery about this gum, and to make it worse she spent $1.50 for 15 pieces.

It would appear the gum was not so cool after all. The culprit the NEW 5 gum. They come in 3 cool flavors, Rain, Cobalt, and Flare. The website looks like a cross between, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Men In Black. The website is cool and mysterious. The same look extends to the package. The commercials for the NEW 5 gum are often run on MTV. It seems no secret who the target demographic is.

At any rate I have to give it to Wrigley's, yes Wrigley's. Depending on which side you are on, Wrigley's has either managed to pull off the marketing rip off of the year, or the marketing success of the year. I think someone, in the marketing department, clearly pitched the idea that this MTV generation, had no concept who the double-mint twins were.

Now, to be fair, I have read comments from people saying that, the flavor of this gum lasts longer. Long lasting flavor, compared to what? How long do you really want the flavor of gum to last? Maybe the adults who are buying this gum don't remember who the double-mint twins were either. Hello, does anybody not see this as big as day. Maybe it's just me. Oh but wait... 5 gum is sugar free. That HUGE difference has to count for something. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to compare the old vs. new. It should be made clear that Wrigley's is not asking you to compare. I think they are hoping, that you will be so mesmerized by the new packaging and cool commercials, that every media literate bone in your body, will cease to exist.

I just want to shake the hand of the marketing genius, who literally hit the refresh button. I think they had help from the easy button. Sorry, I do digress. I will not insult your intelligence by telling you which gum in the Wrigley family to compare (hint ends in mint & red). All I can say is, take the taste test for yourself. If you do, please, prepare to do more than stimulate your senses.

Footnote: If you are thinking of ways to get the gum for free for the taste tests, forget it. Wrigley's does not give away free samples. I already tried.

Assignment 3 Week 4

For my assignment I chose to analyze an online article, from the Slate Magazine website. Gregg Easterbrook calls the article, “TV Really Might Cause Autism,” Easterbrook uses his article as a reference for a larger study. The study was a quantitative analysis done at Cornell University. The Cornell study is by Michael Waldman, a professor in the school’s Johnson Graduate School of Management, Sean Nicholson, an associate professor in the school’s department of policy analysis, and research assistant Nodir Adilov. Waldman, Nicholson, and Adilov said, “We empirically investigate the hypothesis that early childhood television viewing serves as such a trigger (for autism). Using the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ American Time Use Survey, we first establish that the amount of television a young child watches is positively related to the amount of precipitation in the child’s community. This suggests that, if television is a trigger for autism, then autism should be more prevalent in communities that receive substantial precipitation.” The study also examines the link between increased autism diagnoses in counties that had more cable versus counties that did not.

The National Bureau of Economic Research discussed the original study. Easterbrook’s uses his article as a reference for the larger quantitative analysis. In the article, he uses the results in percentages from the original analysis to make his point and ask questions. Easterbrook uses lines such as, “Waldman and Nicholson employ statistical controls” and “Waldman and Nicholson conclude that, just under 40 percent of autism diagnoses in the three states studied is the result of television watching.” Using these references gives strength and validity to his article. Easterbrook also provides a link to the original research for those who want to see and read the study for themselves. This further adds to Easterbrook’s credibility, because he invites the reader to further investigate findings and make a decision for him or herself.

The publication published this article because it would readily cause debate. This was evident by the number of messages that readers posted in response to the article. Beyond this there were many links to articles that debate the study. The fact still remains that there is no one known definitive cause of autism; therefore, any new findings on the subject will be cause for discussion.

I thought the article was interesting. I discussed the article with friends and we debated about the findings. I must admit that being able to see the actual research myself did play a role in convincing me about the claim. However, I did question the background of the researchers. I wondered why economic scholars where doing research on a medical issue. It was helpful to know that the researchers are not claiming to have found the cause of autism, as suggested by the article title, but rather a link. If nothing else people are talking.

With Visa Patience is a Virtue

Have you seen the not so new Visa commercials? You know, the ones that show the queue at some mall or eatery in harmony. The queue is going smoothly. There is music playing and everyone is happy. Then someone decides to pay with cash. The queue suddenly stops. The music comes to a screeching halt and the world is dark. To the media illiterate the commercial is only depicting that it's easier to use your visa check card purchases. To the media literate this commercials says much more. On the surface the commercial is innocent enough. However look further. The commercial affirms impatience. The once virtuous patience, is losing ground. Does anyone practice patience anymore? Writing a cheque or paying with cash, does not really take any more time than using a cheque card. Why is it, when we see a person in line about to write a cheque a little sigh of impatience, invariably escapes (even if it is in the form of shifting from one leg to another). We live in a society where impatience has become the norm. I have been on the end of someones impatient glare. I initially felt uncomfortable, became nervous and thought about apologising. However, I came to my senses. We have become impatient with people, the people in cars, at the ATM, the elevator, our coumputers. The list is endless. I'm not picking on Visa. I am just pointing out, that in some odd way we have given ourselves permission to be impatient with everything. Including things we have no control.

Doggin' Vick

I am not a big football fan, but you can't escape the ongoing media coverage and crucifixion of Atlanta Falcons quarterback, Michael Vick. Personally I was tired of the coverage. What is it about our culture, that we insist on running a story into the ground, until life has been slowly and painfully drained. Do I dare type Paris Hilton (that was painful). Make no mistake, what Micheal Vick did was wrong. I am mad that he didn't man up and tell the truth in the first place. He was stupid. It seems to me, he only admitted guilt because his cohorts began to roll on him. The evidence was just too much. This was something he had been doing for a long time. Does that make his admission less genuine. I don't know.

Now be honest. How many of us would admit to wrong doing, if we knew we could get away with it. Remember be honest...I thought so. Do you really think the executives at Enron were losing sleep about the pensions they stole. I believe Vick should be punished for his crimes. However I am disturbed that he could serve jail time for killing an animal but sex offenders, murders, and rapists get probation, and not see the inside of a jail.

It is common knowledge justice is not blind. Nor is she consistant. I overheard someone say, "it would have been better if he had killed a human being." Paris Hilton got a day pass from jail because of her "nervous breakdown." Somehow I don't think this will be case for Michael Vick. It may sound cruel but he did not kill a human being. Why does he deserve jail time? Would'nt it be better if he had to do community service at an animal shelter or be on call to rescue dogs. Does he deserve to be banned from football? I don't know.


Does the media play an important part in how Vick has been viewed? It is interesting that he had to cut his braids. Let's be honest, if he kept the braids public scrutiny would have been more harsh. It would not have mattered if he had on a suit and spoke the queen's english. The braids say to white america, THUG. Did him cutting off his braids make a difference. In my opinion, no. I overheard a white woman in a public bathroom say to a friend, "I don't give a shit how much he tries to clean up that nigger deserves what he gets. His money ain't gonna make a difference on this one."

The incident with Vick once again takes us, as a nation against racial lines and how blacks are portrayed in the media. I imagine Vick was relieved when the media began to focus on Senator Craig. I imagine Micheal Vick and his lawer, Billy Martin were saying "thank you God" for different reasons. Let the feeding frenzy begin.

Coming Home to New Orleans

August 29, 2005 many of us remember the
tradgedy that was and is New Orleans. In June 2007 I began to ask myself questions. Two years later what strides have been made to rebuild New Orleans? Have the levees been rebuilt? How has New Orleans changed since I went to visit my husband's family last year. Surely things have changed for the better. Sometimes we equate the lack of media coverage to everything being fine. When some news stories are run, you often see the French Quarter and tourist on Bourbon Street. The false perception is that everything in New Orleans is fine. Newsflash...the French Quarter is not New Orleans. My brother-in-law Damien told me, that since the hurricane CNN has opened a bureau in New Orleans. My husband was organising a bus trip to New Orleans, for the annual Essence Music Festival. The festival is always held the week of the 4th of July. In the African American community, the Essence Music Festival is HUGE! This also marked the return of the Essence Music Festival since Hurrican Katrina. For African Americans in New Orleans and around the country, the Essence Music Festival was, "coming home."

Meanwhile, back in St. Louis, I had to decide what my Video Production for Media Literacy class project would be. The timing was perfect because I was going on the bus trip. We went around the classroom to share our project idea. As it neared my turn, I began to have second thoughts. Thoughts of not doing the project raced through my mind. Was this something I wanted take on? What angle would I take? How could I approach this from a media literacy view? Am I going to have time to find people to interview? Am I going to have time to go to the Lower 9th Ward to shoot video? What about all the crime? Is there really a story to tell? My mother-in-law has moved back into her home. I mean she hasn't completely furnished her home but she's there. What about the fun of Essence? If I have to shoot video during the day, then I would miss out on the empowerment sessions. I rationalised that as long as I can go to the concerts at night I'll be ok. I admit that some of my thoughts were selfish. I was curious to know what I would find. The question I feared the most was, how would this affect me? My husband is affected, because he was born and raised in New Orleans. Many in his family still live there. His roots run deep. It's interesting how you can be close to someone but still remain a bystander. Let's face it, being a bystander is comfortable. You can sit around with friends, talk about the latest news, give your opinion and agree to disagree. In this case what have you done? Not a damn thing. Was I ready to step out of my bystander comfort zone? Was I ready to be in the midst? My biggest fear was, if things were not as how the media portrayed or left out, what then?

I found that I had no problems finding people to interview. Talk about people being gracious and humble. I was able to get an interview with Environmental Reporter, Mark Schleifstein, with the Times-Picayune. I mean this man with his Pulitzer Prize and George Polk Award, didn't know me. Nor did he know someone, who knew someone, who knew me. He took an hour out of his day to talk on camera. He shared that along with CNN, NPR and Brian Williams lead the charge to continue reporting on New Orleans (much to the dismay of some colleagues). Mr. Schleifstein wasn't the only one. People like Marvin Hudson, Elverina Clark, LaCola Lucien, Raymond August, Robert Green Sr., came out of their houses and trailers. They put their hammers, buzzsaws and wheelbarrows down to talk and answer questions. My mother-in-law, Trulove Curtis, took me to film everywhere from dilapidated areas to homes that had been rebuilt. She too shared her thoughts for the camera.

During my visit (and return a week later) I discovered that the people of New Orleans understand that the struggle of their city is no longer newsworthy. However, all the people I interviewed said they felt as if the rest of the nation had forgotten them. Many of the people I interviewed said local news covered more stories about Lakeview and St. Bernard Parish than about New Orleans East and the Lower 9th Ward. Lakeview and St. Bernard are predominantly white. Some felt that media exposure would help bring attention to the struggle of those trying to come home and rebuild. Some felt that it wouldn't make a difference. Why else would funding that has already been alotted take so long for people to get? Why is it so many don't even know that they can come home? I met a volunteer church group from Ripley Church of Christ, in Big Prairie, Ohio. They were clearing brush (in 99 degree weather), taller than me and mowing around empty lots where houses once stood, in the Lower 9th ward. I talked to Sharla Clark, who was a part of that group. Soaking from sweat and the unforgiving heat, she expressed her disbelief about how much work needed to be done. She could not beleive how many areas looked like a wasteland, with overgrown grass and homes untouched for almost two years. She too asked where was the media and the government.

Seeing the devastation firsthand was alot to process and I felt a range of emotions (mostly anger and sadness). I thought going to the concerts would take my mind off of the things I saw earlier that day. I was wrong. As I sat in my seat in anticipation of seeing Robin Thicke, it suddenly hit me that I was in the Superdome. The roof that the nation saw blow away on television,was fixed. No more people crowded in like sardines, unable to leave and fearing for their lives. The chaos and mayhem, even those that died resonated. Was I sitting where someone had died? At that precise moment I got chills. Call me crazy but I believe buildings and their walls hold memories. At that moment I bowed my head and said a prayer.

From what I saw, touched, felt and smelled, "Kanye was right." However, despite having to continually face obstacles, the people of New Orleans have hope and faith. I went to New Orleans not knowing what to expect. At the end of the day I was in awe of the people. All I could say was wow. I was and am inspired by their honesty, kindness, spirit, courage, and resilience. Despite the lack of media coverage. Depite the lack of federal funding. Despite the false perceptions. The spirit and the will of the people in New Orleans will not be broken. Go beyond your comfort zone. Don't just sit back and be a bystander.


Footnote: On the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, all media was focused on the memorials, stories and a visit from our nations president. On that same day the White House conveniently leaked a story, that President Bush will reportedly ask congress for an additional 50 billion dollars, for the continued funding of the war in Iraq. Talk about strategic planning.

My final project is dedicated to the people of New Orleans. A city and people forgotten.
http://www.youtube.com/ZouiGJ

Visit these links if you want to to view stories of other survivors (via voicesfromthegulf.com), help others tell their stories, or if you are a survivor wanting to share your own experience:
http://www.colorofchange.org/vfg/?id=2300-173918 http://www.colorofchange.org/vfg/camera.html?id=2300-173918
http://www.colorofchange.org/vfg/survivor.html?id=2300-173918.