It’s a national trend that has found its way to Selma – sagging pants.

Now this fashion statement may become a political issue.

Selma may soon be joining a list of cities to have an anti-sagging ordinance in place, complete with fines for infractions.

Councilwoman Jannie Venter has asked city attorney Jimmy Nunn to conduct research on whether or not a law can be drafted against sagging. “It’s indecent exposure,” Venter said.

This is not new territory.

Already, two municipalities in Louisiana have adopted ordinances banning the sagging pants.

The University of West Alabama also has a dress code in place that prohibits students from wearing them.

But when the government – even at the local level – gets into defining what people can or cannot wear, we are treading on dangerous ground.

In reality, we already have many laws in place on issues that the government should never have been involved in.

Venter is right that something should be done to encourage people to dress in a decent, nonoffensive manner.

And she is right that “home would be the best place for that.”