Voice and Recommendation   November 15, 2007 We, the elected Unity Council of the African Community Center for Unity and Self-Determination/Atlanta, oppose the proposed city ordinance outlaying saggy pants and view this initiative as negative to building community and helping to repair the serious divide between our youth and older generations. We enter this discussion and respectfully oppose the proposed ordinance for the following reasons: 1. While we agree that the wearing of pants sagging/hanging low is a cause for community concern and intervention, we believe it a serious mistake to criminalize or even attempt to criminalize a dress code/style popular among young people worldwide. 2. While not intended, we believe that this effort to criminalize the self-expression of our youth becomes an extension of the criminalization of our youth, i.e., their very existence, and will in fact lead toward increased contact between the law enforcement community and our youth, which does not bode well for our community for historic reasons; 3. We believe specifically that, in spite of the wording of the proposed ordinance, Section 106-13, subsection (c), "Any violation of subsection (a) hereof shall be cited by the law enforcement officer by the issuance of a citation and summons to appear before a court of proper jurisdiction, and shall not, in and of itself, be grounds for an arrest or for a search of the person cited," based on historical precedent and current police policy, practices and procedures, that the wearing of saggy/hanging pants will in fact, lead to grounds for arrests or searches of the persons cited. 4. We strongly believe that there are more appropriate change agents available to us than the police. Our schools, churches, community center, community based organizations and of course our families are the proper institutions of intervention and change. (Interested members of the City Council might consider using their considerable reach to bring these elements together for a more healing approach)  - These are our children, not some intruder from another world. We, the elected Unity Council of the African Community Center for Unity and Self-Determination/Atlanta recommend and strongly encourage that you as an individual or organization do the following in opposition of the initiative of THE ATLANTA CITY COUNCIL {AS PUT FORWARD BY COUNCILMEMBERS C. T. MARTIN, CEASAR C. MITCHELL, H. LAMAR WILLIS, IVORY L. YOUNG JR. AND JOYCE M. SHEPERD: 1. Call upon the aforementioned council persons to withdraw this proposed ordinance/initiative/motion; 2. Call upon the entire membership of the Atlanta City Council to back away from this proposed ordinance/initiative/motion, and any other similar initiative that might come before than. 3. Encourage your organizational membership, friends, associates and family members to do the same 4. Note: Click here for link to email City Councilpersons. Main phone number for City Council: 404-330-6030 We, the elected Unity Council of the African Community Center for Unity and Self-Determination/Atlanta thank you in advance for your cooperation and support of this voicing. Together we will always win. Unity, Self-Determination and Love for Our People, ______Unity Council Members:______ Kofi O. Adjei Efua Anima Asiah Alghanee Aziz Derrick Boazman Thandisizwe Chimurenga Professor Griff Baba Ptah-Hotep (Terrell Simmons) Min. Patrick Muhammad Rodney (Rodjuan) Piggott Bill Price (Ifabemi) Wanique Shabazz David "Server" Tavares <<< Back