Police Called on Chinese Kid Wearing Open-Crotch Pants in US

From NetEase:

Police Called on Ethnic Chinese in America for Dressing Children in Open-Crotch Pants, Americans Believe It is Disorderly Conduct

Chinanews.com November 4 report — According to a report by The China Press in the United States, an ethnic Chinese woman in Monterey Park city of the United States took her child for a stroll at the park only to have the police called on her by a white girl. When the police learned that the child was open-crotch pants [split pants] so the child could urinate and defecate wherever it pleased, they couldn’t believe their ears. However, when this reporter called the Monterey Park police, the station chief said he has not heard of such an incident and must investigate further before he can confirm it.

However, regardless of whether this incident occurred in Monterey Park or not, “open-crotch pants” are indeed a common phenomenon in China. Even in today’s United States, following the “mass childbirth” movement of large numbers of Chinese pregnant women [going to the United States to give birth], one can see “open-crotch pants” sooner or later on the streets of ethnic Chinese communities. The question is, does this phenomenon violate the law? What kind of punishment/penalty is there for children to urinate or defecate wherever they please? Ethnic Chinese lawyer Deng Hong gave the following explanation.

Deng Hong says there is no specific law concerning open-crotch pants in the United States, but according to California Penal Code Section 374.3, urinating and defecating wherever you please is considered an infraction, regardless of whether it involves an adult or a child, and if it happens, the first fine is 270 yuan (USD, hereafter), with fines of 1000 yuan for repeat offenders. For a child wearing open-crotch pants, especially when the reason is “to urinate and defecate wherever it pleases”, if police confirm that it is because the parent has not or cannot afford regular pants for the child, then they may take the child from the parents and hand the child over to Child Protective Services.

As for having one’s lower body exposed, United States law interprets it as “disorderly conduct”, with a verbal warning for light offenses and heavier offenses being fined. As for children having their lower body exposed, Chinese people see it as a common occurrence, but Americans see it as “disorderly conduct” on the part of the child’s parents.

He points out that American law does not base whether conduct is “disorderly” from the perspective of the person involved but rather from the feelings of observers. If an observer believes you are being disorderly, then they can call the police, and you will be warned or even fined by the police, even if you are a two to three-year-old child.

Comments from NetEase:

横店影帝 [网易广东省深圳市网友]：

Then what are the all day nude parades on the streets considered?

持砖观望 [网易广东省深圳市网友]：

This is serious discrimination against yellow [“Asian”] people!

网易上海市黄浦区手机网友 ip：124.74.*.* (responding to above)

SB who urinates and defecates wherever he pleases, I discriminate against you, what about it?

持砖观望 [网易广东省深圳市网友]：

This is serious racial discrimination! If it were white people, they’d probably say: We have no right to interfere with their freedom!

客观皇帝 [网易广东省广州市网友]：

My desire is to help my homeland/country conquer the world, so all the children in the world can wear open-crotch pants!!!

网易四川省成都市网友 [中国人可以说不]：

Respecting the local habits and customs is the most basic [way of demonstrating personal] character.

毛主义万岁 [网易广西贵港市网友]： (responding to above)

So only white people are allowed to run around naked but Asian babies can’t have their little butts exposed? What kind of logic is this?

dao713 [网易四川省成都市网友]：

The United States really is impervious to reason—

zhforestcrazy [网易广东省珠海市网友]：

Americans are somewhat making a big deal about nothing and exaggerating the issue! This is a common thing in China’s rural areas, and something with a very long history!

机器兔 机器兔 [网易浙江省宁波市手机网友]： (responding to above)

The problem is, you’re in other people’s territory so you should abide by their customs.

xjlkj [网易天津市网友]：

It’s not that Westerners are being too serious [rigid, uncompromising] about this, it’s that many Chinese people believe these things to be unalterable and trivial. Even when they are bad habits, such as children urinating and defecating wherever they please [in inappropriate places], adults speaking loudly without regard for the situation/surroundings, loudly speaking on the phone, littering as they please. These small things that do not respect public/civic ethics, most think them to be rather ordinary, and this is the difference between East and West. In short: The level of civility is not enough, so consider the public good more.

网易广东省广州市手机网友 ip：120.85.*.*

I endorse children not wearing open-crotch paths! After all, children also have their privacy.

天逸云清扬 [网易湖南省邵阳市网友]：

Don’t Chinese people always say “when you enter a village, follow the local customs” [“when in Rome, do as the Romans do”]? How come you go to other people’s [territory] and suddenly don’t “follow the local customs”?

网易广东省深圳市手机网友 ip：183.17.*.*

My child has never worn open-crotch pants, because there really is no need to urinate and defecate as you please…and what more, it’s very embarrassing/shameful. I don’t know why so many people feel so confident that they are in the right.

网易辽宁省沈阳市手机网友 ip：59.46.*.*

A bunch of losers saying the grapes they can’t eat are sour. When you are in other people’s [territory/society/country] and don’t know , then you should try to learn instead of hooting here as if you are in the right. No wonder we are looked down upon. It’s all because of you people losing face for the rest of us.

Note: Images presented are illustrative and not related to translated article.