“Pants on the ground, pants on the ground, looking like a fool with your pants on the ground!” This refrain was made famous by General Larry Platt on the opening of another season of American Idol. While I’ve long stopped watching the show and “stunts” to get on the opening shows are known, this performance was important because it captured the political complexities of contemporary Black struggle and the significance of generational divides to the Black community. WHAT!?! Okay, before you think I’ve jumped off the deep end, hear me out. If you look and listen closely to Platt, you would notice he used his exposure to draw attention to Troy Davis on death row, the National Action Network, and lastly told young men to pull their pants up. While many took the performance as all about laughs, we should have taken it as all about politics.

At the age of 62, Platt was dressed in baggy jeans, sunglasses, and a skullcap, so you knew you were in for some laughs. But while the laughter flowed, did you notice that the button on his left shoulder featured the face of Troy Davis? Troy Davis is a Georgia man who sits on death row unjustly for the alleged murder of a Savannah Police office. Davis’ case has drawn significant domestic and international attention, but not necessarily widespread enough attention to make him a household name or cause for people to rally around. Troy Davis was railroaded onto death row after being controversially convicted to death only on witness testimonial. All but two of the people who testified against Davis have recanted their testimonies and one of the two who has not recanted his testimony is the other suspect. Sound strange to you? It is! With no remaining hard evidence, former witnesses saying police coerced them into confessing, and shaky remaining testimonials people have been advocating for years to have his execution stayed and have his case heard again. In August 2009, the US Supreme Court ruled and agreed that Davis deserved to have the evidence of his case heard again, still an innocent man’s life hangs in the balance. That’s not so funny, is it?

Platt was no fool in plastering himself with Davis’ image. He also sported a National Action Network shirt, which is the civil rights advocacy brainchild of Reverend Al Sharpton. The NAN has gathered a lot of support, particularly among older African-Americans like General Larry Platt, with their “Decency Initiative.” They say, “The Decency Initiative was created in order to reduce the dialogue of indecency that has become pervasive in our community as a form of entertainment. We are calling for the removal of “nigga”, “bitch”, and “ho” from the lexicon of the music and entertainment industry.” Platt’s song about “looking like a fool” no doubt neatly jives with their attempts to “clean up” Black youth to present a different portrait of Black respectability. Sagging pants aren’t just joking material, in a number of cities there has been an attempt to make sagging pants illegal! A fashion choice, shouldn’t be a violation of the law, yet there is little advocacy about this from the older civil rights crowd.

While bringing forward a needed message about Troy Davis, he also trashed Black youth who sag their pants. While many have chimed in about Black youth wearing their pants too low and found the song to be a riot, in reality, it’s a flashpoint for the political crossroads our community stands at. Platt, who is known in Atlanta for his Civil Rights work, represents an older political struggle that loves and uplifts Blackness, but often cannot find the ability to equally love and respect Black youth. Once we stop laughing, we’ll have to deal with this pressing divide.

TAGS: AMERICAN IDOL, GENERAL LARRY PLATT