The latest shot fired in America’s culture wars.
Until today, never heard of Jason Aldean. Our idea of country music is Johnny Cash, Del McCoury, Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. But apparently Mr. Aldean is big and his latest song is even bigger, now that it has been canceled on CMT.
“Try That in a Small Town,” is, to say the least, provocative. Video accompanying the song was shot outside a Tennessee courthouse, the site of a 1927 lynching and a 1946 race riot and includes (mostly peaceful) rioting. Match those images to the lyrics:
“Cuss out a cop, spit in his face / Stomp on the flag and light it up / 🎵Yeah, ya think you’re tough / Well, try that in a small town / See how far ya make it down the road / 🎶 Around here, we take care of our own / You cross that line, it won’t take long / For you to find out, I recommend you don’t / Try that in a small town.” 🎵
— Try That in a Small Town
→ “Try That in a Small Town” is a “f*** around and find out” anthem in A-flat major. It’s a refutation of the permissiveness toward criminality that cities such as Portland, Chicago, and Los Angeles have exhibited over the past several years. … That progressives see the use of crime footage as racist implies that they think a particular group of people are the sole perpetrators of said crimes. Yeesh. — National Review.
Lot of anger there
One need not be a dog to hear the whistling. (Or the Whistler to hear the dog!) The hayseeds at the Experimental Work Farm prefer the morning-in-America music of “Happy trails to you/ until we meet again” but we grew up watching Roy Rogers, not Tupac Shakur.
Now, if we were a conservative sociologist (a species unknown in the natural world) and if we were as non-judgmental as a Unitarian (or if we were a carpenter and you were our lady), we might opine that “Try That in a Small Town” is more symptom than cause — a backlash against Woke — affirmative action, reparations, and BLM arson and statue toppling.
Speaking of dogs, Gov. Ron DeSantis is their Pavlov. Progs are in their daily dither over his requirement that students be taught that newly freed slaves “developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.” Counters the “1619” victimhood narrative, doncha know.
Jesse Jackson, shakedown artist
As a cultural purgative, Blaska Policy Werkes recommends a daily dose of Jason Riley. The Wall Street Journal columnist (who identifies as black) deconstructs (to borrow progressive argot) the recently (and about-time!) retired Jesse Jackson, the self-anointed successor to Martin L. King Jr.
After King’s death, black America didn’t need another King. It needed a leadership that would focus on helping the black underclass develop the skills, attitudes and behaviors necessary to take full advantage of the rights King had worked to secure. What emerged instead was a leadership that shifted the focus from equal rights to racial favoritism and blamed all racial disparities primarily on racism.
Mr. Jackson’s quarter-century-old Wall Street Project, for example, essentially shakes down successful corporations for “donations” in the name of expanding job opportunities for minorities. It’s possible that blacks are under-represented on Wall Street or in Silicon Valley because of employers’ racial animus, but the far more plausible explanation is that hiring at Google or Goldman Sachs reflects the significant racial gap in academic achievement. …
By advocating an ever-larger welfare state that creates incentives not to work and subsidizes counterproductive behavior, Mr. Jackson and his political allies have inadvertently helped to keep the black poor impoverished.
— “Jackson turned civil rights into an industry”
Blaska’s Bottom Line: Figures that Mr. Aldean is all Trumped-up. Now do you get #45’s enduring appeal? As Babylon Bee is saying, “Trump campaign hoping to lock up GOP nomination with third indictment.” Lot of anger out there, some of it justified if poorly expressed.
43 responses to “Did your town just get small?”
[…] This post originally appeared at https://davidblaska.com/2023/07/20/did-your-town-just-get-small/ […]
I am not a carpenter, David, but I am a conservative. I didn’t like the video, though I would give more points for the song itself.
I think we’re creeping ever so much toward civil war in this country, or at least enduring incivility. Mr. Aldean’s and his video moves us “down that road.”
Instead of riot video, let’s try dialog and elections. As Rodney King implored, “Can’t we all get along?”
Kevin, I’m with you 100% on your sentiment. But both sides have to agree for there to be dialogue, and elections haven’t been reliable for some time now given democrat control over every aspect of the election process.
btw, I was virulently unsupportive of the riots themselves from the summer of 2020, as well. Largely peaceful or not.
“Let’s try dialogue” you say? Like the kind BLM engaged in during the summer of 2020? The kind that resulted in deaths, destruction, and lingering animosity toward police? Progressives are all for dialogue–as long as it occurs AFTER they’ve censored their latest target. There’s hypocrisy, damn hypocrisy, and then there’s progressive hypocrisy.
And by the way, coming from a small town in Wisconsin, I know for a fact that BLM antics wouldn’t be tolerated for an hour let alone for an entire summer.
David, the message of this song is about the same as the country classic – A Country Boy Can Survive by Hank Williams Jr. from the 1970’s. These songs reflect the sentiments in time of the majority of folks just working and minding their own business.
location location location. Nobody cares about his crappy song, but he did it in front of a hick town courthouse that has some dark chapters in its history. Perform the same piece in front of a barn with a tractor outside and nobody would give a hoot.
So much for Freedom of Speech, or music as the case might be
Not contesting the musician’s freedom of speech or expression. Only questioning, in particular, the video.
The video is an accurate representation of American conflict in our era. CMT was practicing censorship when they pulled it, although in fairness the video can be seen elsewhere. So far. CMT chooses to avoid politicalization. They are an entertainment channel.
ANOTHER slow news day…I think I’ll take my dog for a walk.
“What have you tried in a small town that you wish you hadn’t?”
Going to a restaurant with a Black family. I used to love going to rural areas of WI for long weekends, and before 2016 things always went really well. People were always nice and welcoming.
After 2016 there was a change I experienced in multiple locations. Unwelcoming staring and unexpected rudeness. Now we got the hint and have cut back on this type of travel, and stick to only the cabin rental when we do go – no restaurants, no grocery stores (bring our food from home), pay at the pump at the gas station but try to fill up before getting too far from home. I honestly wish we could let everyone just put up Whites Only signs again so I can know where and where not to spend my money. I’m actually ok with peoples’ right to be rude if they want, it’s a free country, you don’t have to like me. But I’m not going to fork over $$ to anyone that doesn’t want me there.
For a while there it used to be taboo to be cruel, mean, or racist. But Trump coming on the political scene changed that. Huge crowds literally revelling at cruel statements and threats. Obviously the AM radio revolution and lots of other currents set the stage and led us in this direction, but I personally experienced the most obvious change in 2016. Before that I was still able to see Rs as people who wanted generally the same thing as I do for the country but have policy differences about how to get there.
Post 2016 incivility is Trump’s fault?
The Gotch is surprised you can negotiate any travel whatsoever with such cripplingly myopic, hyper-partisan poisoned tunnel vision.
Try again, and this time factor in the dangerous, yet voluntary, immersion into a catatonic, apoplectic, pillow-biting, pants $#!tting, bed wetting, wind-sucking, chest palpitating, vital sign ramping, mouth-breathing, fist-pounding, foot stomping, safe-space seeking, triggering, weenie-whiny, simpering-whimpering, complete metaphysical, emotional, existential, psychological, philosophical, full-throated, freaking out, melting down, spittle-flecked, furiously-frothing, totally collapsing free-fall sickenly displayed by despicably intolerant Lefty after 11/08/2016.
The Gotch
ERRATUM: sickenINGly displayed
the only thing sickeningly on display is your ranting..
https://stevewitherspoonhome.files.wordpress.com/2020/01/stupidtrophy.jpg?w=300
the song sucked, the courthouse used sucked and now you’re trying to twist this debacle into something you can blame on the liberals. not this time pickle boy.
Run along Lazy @$$ Blogge Idiot TROLT, the adults are having a discussion that’s well beyond someone who’s gone through life fat, drunk, and stoopid!
The Gotch
“Post 2016 incivility is Trump’s fault?”
Like I said, there were certainly currents leading this way prior to 2016. But it’s objectively true that Trump ushered in a completely new paradigm regarding what is acceptable speech and behavior. It’s unfathomable that any politician prior could have said or did the same things as he did and remained a reasonably successful politician. A similar stream of insults and vitriol is exactly what characterizes your frequent posts. Prior to Trump many people would be embarrassed to act like that, but not as much anymore.
Feel free to look in the mirror for cripplingly myopic, hyper-partisan poisoned tunnel vision. I’m actually ok with people having diverse views, that’s why I’m in favor of Democracy. I don’t think things should only be as I want them, and I’m ok with compromise. This is not true of the current conservative movement.
“Prior to Trump many people would be embarrassed to act like that, but not as much anymore.”
Heh! Thanks for the slow lob:
Rashida Tliab: ‘We’re gonna impeach the motherfu**er’
Low I.Q. MAD Max Waters: ‘Call your friends, get in their faces…call them out, call your friends, get protesters, follow them into restaurants and shopping malls…TELL THEM THEY’RE NOT WELCOME ANYMORE, ANYWHERE (bolds/caps/italics mine)
And who could forget UNITER DementiaJoKe’s Fascist We The People/Just Not YOU PEOPLE speech
‘Bout a 1000 more examples of despicably intolerant Lefty, but you get the picture…OWN IT!
The Gotch
Those are pretty mild, so I think I’m going to ask for the other 1000 examples 🙂
Regardless, I’m not a Democrat nor do I have any feeling to defend Democrats. I vote for that terrible party because our broken political system leaves me with no choice.
The whataboutism is on-brand, you are a good soldier in the digital battleground. The training is paying off.
“The whataboutism is on-brand, you are a good soldier in the digital battleground. The training is paying off.”
“And in our faults by lies we flattered be.”
“I’m not a Democrat nor do I have any feeling to defend Democrats.”
No Republican here; the Framers weren’t too fond of POLITICAL PARTIES. Good enough.
The Gotch, intimate with every nook-n-cranny of America’s Dairyland, would like to know where your rural experience/s occurred?
The Gotch
Sorry to hear about your experiences up north, Rollie, but be careful about extrapolating too far with it. It leads to bigotry. Oh, and BTW, Progressives have been practicing rudeness well befor 2016!
Thanks. Yeah, I don’t think all rural White people are terrible or anything, just after getting burned a few times I’m being more cautious when far from home. It was just a striking change from the universally positive experiences I had prior to 2016, and anecdotally it lined up pretty clearly with Trump. I think in time things could cool off and improve.
I’ve met plenty of racist liberals too here in the city. They always put on an overly welcoming facade but the truth slips out. Thanks. Yeah, I don’t think all rural White people are terrible or anything, just after getting burned a few times I’m being more cautious when far from home. It was just a striking change from the universally positive experiences I had prior to 2016, and anecdotally it lined up pretty clearly with Trump. I think in time things could cool off and improve.
I’ve met plenty of racist liberals too here in the city. They always put on an overly welcoming facade but the truth slips out.
At the same time Ring cameras showing car theft at a record pace here in bike city. Will not see this info on local media tho. They made this city this way. Wonder if the ones who control the news even live in the city? Bet their kids live in suburbs. This is going to escalate 10 fold in a few months…wait for it.
Poor Rollie found a Negro family, brought them to the hinterland and found his stereotype belief in racist rednecks to be “spot on.” Thankfully Rollie pulled a Tubman and got the Negroes out of town before they were lynched.
Now he ventures into the wilds of Wisconsin like Stanley seeking Livingstone and isolates himself from the racism so rampant among the hayseeds.
Where do you get the courage, Rollie?
Re: “Going to a restaurant with a Black family.”
Here in Western Kentucky the majority of barbecue joints and many of the diners, are OWNED by blacks. In “bigger burgs” blacks are omnipresent in all staffing positions at restaurants. Anyone having a problem with seeing black faces as they eat would have limited dining choices.
People in small communities will know that “You ain’t from around here”, and you might become a topic of conversation. If you are watching the people around you for signs of disapproval, they are going to stare back. Just smile, wave and eat your meal. Politeness helps, it’s not just a “Southern thing”.
Actually the question about behavior in a small town is a good one.
I live in a small town in SC, 35% black and about the same for the state, I believe. There is racism but if its a mile wide its only one inch deep and easily overcome.
I once gave a presentation to a senior class here on the day that there had been a school shooting in San Diego. As the students, again about 30-40% black, took their seats, I asked them if a shooting could happen in their school. They conferred and said no.
Why not?
Because, they said, their parents and grandparents would all be at the funerals and none of the kids would want to shame them.
We had a fellow from a nearby town kick off a BLM march. After which the locals had a barbecue and fed the police force.
Small town, 8 to 9,000 people has issued 2,000 new housing permits in two years.
Here I go again with the Western Kentucky thing.
Overalls are as common as “hoodies”, and even then, the “hoodies” are just well-worn Carhartt ™ chore jackets. “Carjacking’ is what you do so you can reach the drain plug under the car, to change your oil. Everybody knows everybody else’s cars, (so they can wave at you when they see you coming). Stealing a car would just be surreal, making your getaway with people smiling and waving at you. There’s no BLM, Freedom Inc, Antifa, etc, but there ARE a lot of churches …..
Everybody has guns, Nobody wastes ammunition on each other. Kids who steal something get a “whuppin’,and their father takes them back to the scene of the crime to return it.
I could go on, but, ….. Maybe the professors at UW Madison could explain why we’re all so BACKWARD out here.
Another thing; wife and I housed an Egyptian and a Malian student here for their junior year. I schooled them well on local history. When they were leaving I asked if they had seen or heard any racism. Both said no.
Imagine that.
And some people see it every where.
“ ‘Jackson turned civil rights into an industry’ “
“I Am Afraid That There Is A Certain Class Of Race-Problem Solvers Who Don’t Want The Patient To Get Well, Because As Long As The Disease Holds Out THEY HAVE NOT ONLY AN EASY MEANS OF MAKING A LIVING, BUT ALSO AN EASY MEDIUM THROUGH WHICH TO MAKE THEMSELVES PROMINENT BEFORE THE PUBLIC.” G. W. Carver (bolds/caps/italics mine)
No idea of the date of this quote, but Carver died over 80 years ago.
Have things gotten better, stayed the same, or gotten worse?
The Gotch
“requirement that students be taught that newly freed slaves ‘developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.’ Counters the ‘1619’ victimhood narrative, doncha know.”
Speaking of narratives, one you won’t find in Li’l Lefty Libraries would be a href=”https://www.loc.gov/collections/slave-narratives-from-the-federal-writers-project-1936-to-1938/about-this-collection/”>BORN IN SLAVERY: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers’ Project, 1936 to 1938.
The Gotch
What skills are you speaking of that could be applied to their personal benefit?
Charleston SC issued permits and numbered copper tags/badges for slaves to be outsourced to move freely and to ply their trade. Some were allowed to keep a percentage of their wages and subsequently bought their freedom.
“requirement that students be taught that newly freed slaves ‘developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.’ Counters the ‘1619’ victimhood narrative, doncha know.”
Speaking of narratives, one you won’t find in Li’l Lefty Libraries would be
BORN IN SLAVERY: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers’ Project, 1936 to 1938.
The Gotch