Hoodies have become a fashion statement for many Americans. Every year, people wait for the arrival of the fall and winter seasons because those two seasons have what is called “hoodie weather”,weather that is just right for wearing the stacks of hoodies that have been sitting in the back of the closet since spring. However, the risk of wearing this popular item in public potentially becoming illegal in one part of the country has struck a nerve nationwide.

Recently proposed Senate Bill 13 in Oklahoma, supposedly a new safety measure, would make it illegal for Oklahoma citizens to wear anything that would purposely conceal a person’s identity. Of course, the bill comes with exceptions for religious beliefs and weather issues, but violators will be charged a fine between $50 and $500.

Whether or not banning these sweatshirts is a misconception, Senate Bill 13 has overstepped the boundaries of preventing crime. Various school districts place restrictions on students wearing the popular clothing item for hiding things not allowed in the classroom, but this is not school, this is the real world.

In fact, it is a waste of time to focus on what citizens wear in public when there are other things that need just a little bit more attention, such as education and unemployment.

Protecting law-abiding citizens and preventing crime is credible, however, this is not the way to do it.This only causes more tension within the nation- the same tension that the country has constantly proven it cannot handle.

Whatever happened to those signs that say things like “please remove your hood inside?” That would be a more effective method than making it illegal to wear hoodies in public altogether. A criminal may wear a hoodie when committing a crime, yet due to rainy weather, many others may also be wearing hoodies, blending him or her in with the outside world as if nothing happened.

The government has every right to do whatever it takes to protect their citizens-it should be their top priority- but the government is a democracy and the power to be governed lies within the people, and Senate Bill 13 crosses that line.