“General” Larry Platt may be enjoying some unexpected fame for the instant classic “Pants On The Ground,” debuted on last night’s American Idol—remixes like the one above are already beginning to pile up—but he’s already more than earned his name in Georgia. As learned by USA Today, Platt was heavily involved in the desegregation movement since his teens, taking part in the infamous Bloody Sunday march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama and earning his “rank” from civil rights leader Rev. Hosea Williams after organizing multiple sit-ins in Georgia.
Still a community activist today, he was honored with his own day by the Georgia General Assembly on Sept. 4, 2001, which noted “it is highly fitting and proper that this body recognize the significant contributions of this esteemed man…commending Larry Platt for his great energy and commitment to equality and the protection of the innocent.” At the very least, the rest of us can pay tribute by keeping our pants up.
