A Dutch lawmaker recently proposed legislation to jail women for up to 12 days for wearing the head-to-toe Islamic robe known as a burqa, labeling it a "symbol of oppression."

American citizens face a similarly disconcerting situation.

The Lafourche Parish Council joined the ranks of such Orwellian dystopian societies as World War II Germany, the Soviet Union, Iran and North Korea with its acceptance of its “saggy pants” ban.

The ordinance, created by LPC member Lindel Toups, came about after he became aggravated with his 18-year-old grandson’s saggy pants.

Under the ordinance, an American citizen could be jailed indefinitely in Lafourche Parish if he or she were to fail to pay the first time $50 fine, which goes up to $100 for a second offense and then $100 for a third offense with 16 hours of community service.

The fashion mandate is also extremely vague in its wording, going so far as to ban clothing that is “not becoming of his or her sex.” This could potentially mean women in Lafourche Parish could be fined for wearing pants, as a man could be fined for wearing a pink shirt.

No one voted for the LPC to fill the role of Big Brother. No one asked them to usurp parental responsibility. And no one gave them the right to dictate acceptable clothing fashions.

In the Netherlands, the ban on burqas, fortunately, has little chance of passing. We should hope we are as lucky with the “saggy pants” ordinance.

If hope isn’t enough, we should contact the Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph and urge her to veto the ordinance.