Jason Aldean, the country music star, is facing a storm of criticism after releasing a new music video. “Try That in a Small Town” is the title of the video.
The news clip features alarmist footage of violent clashes between police officers and demonstrators, seemingly to make an impassioned point about the current extent of political divisions within the United States, including burning flags and petty crimes.
On 1 October 2017, Aldean, a performer who was onstage during the time when Stephen Paddock, the mass shooter, began shooting at the attendees of the Route 91 Harvest music festival on the Las Vegas Strip, is most likely recognized by those who are not fans for being a more outspoken conservative since the last year of the Trump presidency.
Attacking the crowd, Paddock fired a barrage of bullets, injuring 413 people and killing 60, from the balcony of his 32nd floor suite at the Bay Mandalay Hotel in Mecca, Nevada’s gambling hub.
His reason for conducting the most devastating firearm massacre in American history has never been determined.
I wanted to let everyone know that my crew and I are safe, but I still don’t know what to say. Tonight has been horrific beyond words. “Evening that, Aldean posted on Instagram, and thankfully he was not hurt in the incident.
Tonight, everyone was invited to come out and enjoy the night, and it hurts my heart to think that anyone who wanted to be a part of this fun night would experience something that would cause them pain. We should all strive to stop spreading hate and bring an end to this heartbreak. #Stopthehate #heartbroken.
Instead, it appears that Aldean’s upcoming 11th album will double down on his advocacy for the Second Amendment. However, rather than making a compassionate appeal for gun control in the wake of witnessing such a traumatic episode,
Here’s the reason why the song (and its new music video in particular) is so controversial.
What does ‘Try That in a Small Town’ entail?
The lyrics of Jason Aldean’s new track depict major cities in America as havens for crime, street anarchy, and disrespect towards traditional values of contempt and authority.
Aldean condemns petty urban criminals who “blindside someone on a pavement”, “rob an elderly woman at a traffic signal” or “threaten the owner of a liquor shop” akin to Bruce Wayne at his angriest and disheartened. Or, what’s even worse, “verbally abuse a police officer” or disrespectfully spit on the American flag.
He dares the culprits to attempt such a feat in a rural community, portraying a stereotypical masculine bravado. This type of place is more probable to have residents who embody traditional values and are well-equipped with legal firearms and courteous behavior, displaying a fearlessness towards confrontation.
When it comes to the topic of gun possession, he croons:
“I have a firearm that was given to me by my grandfather.
“It is said that someday all the individuals with aspirations and ambitious dreams will be gathered together.”
“Well, that nonsense might be acceptable in the city, good luck.
“Give it a shot in a small city,
“See how much distance you can cover on the road.
“In this area, we look after our own.”
What are the reasons behind the criticism of the video?
The new single’s video directed by Shaun Silva overtly aligns with Aldean’s societal concerns, bringing together a collage of real news footage from New York protests. The footage shows hooded youths engaged in anti-patriotic and destructive acts of vandalism and looting, which are disturbing and paint a disturbing vision. The video is peddled by right-wing cable news channels, fueling anti-Antifa paranoia.
In 1927, a white mob in Columbia, Tennessee hanged 18-year-old Henry Choate, a Black youth who had been dragged behind a car, from a second-floor window at the location of a notorious lynching. Aldean and his bandmates, dressed in leather jackets and Stetson hats, are seen performing in front of the Maury County Courthouse, seemingly filled with sadness.
What has been mentioned regarding it?
Despite his ordeal in Las Vegas, Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, tweeted that Jason Aldean, who had written a song about how his friends will shoot if you try to take their guns, was denouncing those three promo minutes.
Chris Willman of Variety referred to the song as the most despicable country song of the decade and noted that for Aldean, it focuses on the vulnerability of small towns to potential attacks from lawless urban raiders, which would require the use of vigilantism to keep them at bay.
You should know better than anyone that surviving a mass shooting is something nobody should experience. There is nothing promoting violence about American small towns or on Twitter, despite accusations of inciting violence towards country music icons like Jason Aldean and Sheryl Crow.
I witnessed others’ explicit attack on the Black Lives Matter movement in a video called “modern lynching song,” which showcases the light setting of their choice.
Journalist Matthew Chapman tweeted that “Try That in a Small Town” perfectly encapsulates the essence of the American Right, from the singer’s upbringing in a city to the obsession with communities that conform to a uniform mindset, and the constant fear of violent reprisals.
In the aftermath of a heavy backlash on social media, the video has been withdrawn from rotation on the CMT country music channel, Deadline and Billboard reported on Monday. The programming decision behind the explanation of why the network did not offer the video has caused controversy.
What has Aldean stated in support of the song?
I was not pleased with the direct quote stating that I was not pleased with the nationwide BLM protests.
This particular instance crosses limits, but it is risky. However, I understand and appreciate others’ freedom to perceive a song with its music in their own way, there is not a single video clip included that isn’t genuine news footage – and none of the song’s lyrics make any mention or suggestion about race. These allusions hold no value whatsoever.
I want to continue to see families torn apart or senseless headlines, including one that doesn’t make any sense to me. Our community recently suffered another heartbreaking tragedy where many lives were lost, so I was pointed out that many were present at Route 91.
This is a song about what keeps us up at night – the desire for a sense of normalcy in this country. I don’t agree on how we can get back to that, but I know that there is a lot hidden from us and I’ve been something of a political views that have been hidden. Regardless of any differences in belief or background, our neighbors were the ones who took care of us. Because of that, I had a growing feeling of community in a small town that refers to me as “Try That Small Town”.