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Long Beach Tells Teens To Pick Up Saggy Pants

LONG BEACH (CBS) — City leaders want young people in Long Beach to do two things this February: pick 'em up and keep 'em up.

Bishop William Ervin along with Carson City Councilman Mike Gipson are calling on black children and teens to "pull up their pants on their waist" as a sign of respect during Black History Month.

KNX 1070's Ron Kilgore reports their message to young men who wear their pants down around their knees is simple: "You can have the swag without the sag".

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Community leaders say the plan is not just for cultural purposes, but may have legal benefits as well: sagging pants are often used for profiling purposes by law enforcement agencies.


(©2010 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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