Republicans always scream they want government out of your life...until they don't.
Just over one hundred bills have already been authored ready to be introduced in February. Of which, one focuses on articles of clothing in public places.
Hoods may no longer be allowed.Surveillance cameras all across the metro catch criminals in the act, robbing gas stations, pizza shops and loan offices.
Each time, the robber's face is covered with a hood or mask."Those things are scary to us," said Mayfair Liquor Manager, Shelly Cruze.
Shelly Cruze's store, Mayfair Liquor, was once a target of a robbery and once was enough.
"Of course the hood was up and it was drawn," said Cruze.
So now, Shelly has a clear message to customers even before they walk in. No hoodies, hoods or masks.
"When you go into a place they need to see your face. That's just human contact, that's communication is to see your face," said Cruze.
Shelly's rule could eventually be law.
After consulting with the Department of Public Safety, Senator Don Barrington has authored a bill that would make it unlawful to wear a mask, hood or covering during the commission of a crime or to intentionally conceal his or her identity in a public place.
There are provisions. Such as, pranks of children on Halloween religious beliefs and special events like a parade, masquerade party or weather.
But if you wear a hood with ill intentions, you could be slapped with a misdemeanor fine of $50 to $500 and or one year in jail.
Walking into a store armed with a 9mm is perfectly fine, but don't come in here wearing no damn hoodie.
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.
UPDATE: Since the KKK operates freely in Oklahoma City, I was wondering if the new legislation will cover white hoods also?
