New Bill Would Make Wearing Hoodies A Crime

They can have my Hoodie when they pry it from my cold dead body

Oklahoma lawmakers are planning to introduce a bill this February that would make it illegal to wear hooded sweatshirts, or “hoodies,” in public, according to a report from Oklahoma’s Channel 6 News.

Republican Senator Don Barrington will introduce the bill, which would make it a misdemeanor to “wear a mask, hood, or covering” either while committing a crime or in order to intentionally conceal one’s identity. If the bill is passed, offenders would be subject to a fine of $50 to $500, and up to one year in jail. The ban would not affect mask-wearers on Halloween or at masquerade parties, nor would it apply to people who wear head coverings for religious purposes.

The bill’s purpose is seemingly to deter crime. As Channel 6’s report notes, robberies caught on surveillance camera often show the perpetrator wearing a mask or hoodie to cover his or her face. With the bill’s language only prohibiting wearing hoodies while committing a crime or to intentionally hide, supporters say the ban wouldn’t negatively affect people just trying to wear a sweatshirt in day-to-day life.

Others, however, have argued that bans on hoodies — no matter the intention — only serve to exacerbate problems with racial profiling. CNN legal analyst Sunny Hostin took on the issue when an Indiana mall banned the garment in March:

“This is about the pretext of being able to stop young African-American males,” she said. “Hoodie is code for ‘thug’ in many places and I think businesses shouldn’t be in the business of telling people what to wear. The Fourteenth Amendment protects us from this.”

Hostin argued that hoodie bans are similar to previous bans on sagging pants, in that both target clothing items or styles worn predominantly by black men. Because of that, Hostin said, the bans give businesses and police officers an excuse to racially profile.

“When do we get to a place in our society where we stop doing this kind of thing?” she continued. “Where we stop targeting young black men so there is a pretext for being allowed to escort them out of a mall simply because of what they’re wearing?”

Similar laws banning hoodies and other face-coverings are already on the books in 10 states around the country, according to a report in Time Magazine. Several businesses in New York City have taken it upon themselves to prohibit hoodie-wearing in their stores.

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/201...ma-hoodie-ban/

Dumbest thing ever. If the person in question is not deterred from armed robbery by the laws against it, how deterred will he/she be by laws against wearing some specific garment.

It's not all about blacks either, as eagerly as many folks might wait to be offended. Ted Kaczynski (The Unibomber) used his hoody for evil instead of good too, and long before they were fashionable in the 'hood.

or in order to intentionally conceal one’s identity.

That part was stated separately. So there needs to be no crime intended? Concealing yourself is not a crime. I have a right to privacy if I wish to conceal my identity.

Yeah, I know. If I'm not doing anything wrong I should present myself for every camera and for everyone to take note of who I am. You can go to hell Mr. Senator.

Similar laws are already on the books in 10 states around the country, including Florida, California, New York and Washington, DC.

Could have fooled me. I'm not aware of the law in California. I'll have to look it up. Don't see how anyone could ban you for walking down the street wearing a hoodie, Ski Jacket, cowboy hat and glasses, etc..

Yep, Nope. The only thing California has is if you're concealing yourself while committing a crime and charged with that other crime. Nothing about hoodies directly. It could be any mask, false beard to rob a bank, store etc. to disguise yourself.

You're OK to still wear a hoodie in public as long as you aren't mugging someone.
Then you have more to worry about then the added misdemeanor charge because you have to be found guilty of the felony or other charges first.

Both my boys got hoodies as a gift from me this Christmas, they are useful articles of clothing.
As far as concealing ones self, that is a slippery slope. What about makeup? A billion dollar industry and its very purpose is to conceal and make one look slightly different. And it is a 'covering'.
That means if you are wearing foundation while going 5 miles over the speed limit, you've just gone afoul of this law.
They must have been smoking or drinking some pretty good stuff when they wrote this bill.

There can be and ARE some obscure laws regarding concealing one's identity that may escape general knowledge.

For example, archery hunters must get very close to the game being hunted. Complete and effective camouflage is required; hands, body, gear and especially the universally recognized "predator face" (both eyes facing forward). Common practice is to use a semi-transparent camo veil or mask. Waterfowl hunters must also take care to be fully concealed, since a flock of birds can have hundreds of eyes, better than ours, constantly looking for danger.

Maryland hunting law requires that a masked hunter unmask when leaving the woods and/or approaching other people. Grabbed this from the "reservoir" page, first hit on a search:

Masks or other face gear shall be removed upon leaving the woods and when approaching within 100 yards of another person.

http://dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide/bh_reservoirs.asp