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There aren't many sights more ridiculous than a young man whose pants are drooping down around his knees. The picture says "idiot."

Some people say "there oughtta be a law."

In fact, many localities across the country have written ordinances to prohibit such gross displays of boxer shorts, or worse, usually on grounds of indecent exposure, public nuisance or disorderly conduct.

The courts have struck down some of these statutes, calling them a violation of free expression.

Of course. If the authorities start telling people how they can wear their clothes, or regulate other forms of behavior that the easily offended don't like, you must be in Dubai or somewhere even more aggressively prudish.

The news this week from Dubai, a wealthy city-state that's part of the United Arab Emirates, was shocking: An appeals court upheld a 30-day jail term for a British couple convicted of kissing in public.

This is a major Persian Gulf tourist destination that last year drew more than a million visitors from Britain alone. Not surprisingly, many of them run afoul of the very strict laws there.

My experience in Dubai consists of a few hours in its big and busy airport last September where my son, Andrew, and I waited for connecting flights between New York and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Wisely, I didn't kiss anyone. The airport appeared to be safe ground, anyway, crowded with people of all races and nationalities and wearing all manner of clothing. It wasn't much different from other international airports. The duty-free shops sold liquor, and there was even an Irish pub. God love the Irish; where is there not one?

Still, there were some women on the flight from New York wearing western clothing who changed into conservative Muslim garb before we landed. And, although I didn't have time to explore beyond the airport, I understand that tougher rules apply.

The British media warn travelers to pay attention. Dubai enforces a zero-tolerance policy on drugs, and even some prescription medications are banned. Material considered pornographic is prohibited. Alcoholic beverages are tightly restricted. And, added Sky News Online in a report last month:

"Swearing or making rude gestures is considered to be an obscene act and offenders can be arrested by police.

"Public displays of affection, including kissing and holding hands, could lead to arrest if deemed to be offensive.

"Sex outside marriage is banned and unmarried couples who live together or even share a hotel room are committing an offence, although this is unlikely to be a problem in Dubai. Adultery is illegal.

"In situations other than on the beach or by the swimming pool, a woman's clothing may be considered indecent if it is tight, transparent, above the knee or shows her stomach, shoulders or back. A man should not wear shorts or show his chest. Underwear should not be visible."

While most of us can agree that "underwear should not be visible," translating that and other indiscretions to criminal conduct definitely rubs the wrong way in free societies like ours.

The trouble in this country, though, is that we not only take our freedoms for granted, but we sometimes take them too far -- past the point of common decency.

Interestingly, our destination via Dubai last year, Tanzania, is an East African country where people share many of the same sensibilities that prevail in Dubai and elsewhere in the Middle East. Many Tanzanians are Muslim, especially in the Indian Ocean coastal areas, but not the kind who impose their rules on everyone else.

Still, when visiting, it's wise to learn and respect the protocols -- not for fear of arrest but simply to be a considerate guest.

Women dress modestly. Grown men don't wear shorts or go around shirtless. Men and women don't kiss or even hold hands in public -- it's seen as improper. And, in manners of speech, in personal greetings and in conduct toward one another, people are painstakingly polite. Rudeness is just not acceptable. In these ways, Tanzanians maintain a mostly civil society without arresting anyone. It's very refreshing.

That's what we've lost in our increasingly rude society. We protect the freedom to offend so vigorously that perpetrators think they're welcome to offend.

I might wish some of those saggy pants guys, or people whose speech and manners are rude, crude and just plain offensive, would get a taste of Dubai just once.