Try that in a small town

Song on spotify if you haven't listened to it.

Lyrics by Jason Aldean:

Sucker punch somebody on a sidewalk
Carjack an old lady at a red light
Pull a gun on the owner of a liquor store
Ya think it's cool, well, act a fool if ya like
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
Got a gun that my granddad gave me
They say one day they're gonna round up
Well, that shit might fly in the city, good luck
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
Full of good ol' boys, raised up right
If you're looking for a fight
Try that in a small town
Try that in a small town
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
Ooh-ooh
Try that in a small town

Listening to the song, I think it captures the paranoia of having your gun taken away even though it's just an antique and doesn't work. If it's so safe as they imagnie, why do they need guns so much? 

The sort of false patriotism and tribalism is attractive. 

I was moved to write because this tweet. They basically tracked down an image in the video. It turns out someone had a satirical newspaper that mocked white supremacy. People figure it out and quit subscribing. 

That in itself isn't racism, it's actually white fragility, racism cousin. To be afraid of being accused of racism, and reading satirical stuff against racism and not liking it, is a way of inoculating yourself. Why would they not find it funny?

I think that quite interestingly capsilizes the situation. In a small town you wouldn't say to someone's face that they're racist. The fantasy is that you're nice and polite to everyone. 

Racism is mostly systematic organization, it's not people saying racist things, though saying racist things and getting away with it, creates an atmosphere where systematic racism is more acceptable. Modern times have articulated in may ways racism is harmful. 

Small town people might not be systematically racist, so I would argue that they don't need to feel antagonized by satirical writings. They don't have to. But they tune into the news from the big city, and read all about those sophisticated critiques of policy and institutions of systematic racism, and they think, well I know John down at the hardware store and he's a nice guy so I'm not a racist. They can't really think beyond the small town they live in. That sounds like a criticism, perhaps they can but they don't want to, that's also why they live in a small town. They don't want those problems. In the city you can't hide from the problems. Just be nice to everyone and hold onto the fantasy that they were raised right, and they raise their children right.

There's a kind of pride about being from a small town, which again, not necessarily racist, but the avoidance of urban problems which includes racism, and the denial of it's existence is a racist move. Hiding from racism isn't racism, but it's similar enough to be adjacent. 

It's a different way of being to allow for racism to exist. That's for city folk. And you can also see why calling it a racist song reinforces the small town person's sense of injustice at being called a racist, they're complaining about being called a racist, and that gets them called a racist, that's call a vicious cycle. The fantasy that they "don't that that," is another aspect of the I live in a small town so we are somehow, what, superior? Certainly small town life might be more simple, and therefore they're less cluttered mentally and alienated, more in touch with nature and community. That's if you go to the right church and lived there your whole life, that that's a special badge that gets you things. They don't like city folk judging them, city folk are immoral and lack all their virtues. So they get to be judgemental.

The tone is defiant, which is always a good popular song tone, but it's not like people from the city are for random violence. I've been in rural areas, and it's not like it's absent of random violence, it's just the violence is done to people who are not family, maybe even city folk. "You cross the line," is a kind of "This aggression will not stand," moment a la The Big Lebowski.

That it's naive nostalgia could be utilized by white supremacist and fascist politicians is going to be interesting. We're going to see politicians trying to use that song. Usually rock and roll musicians don't want their songs used by right wing politicians they tend to be liberal artists. Bruce Springsteen didn't want Reagan  This song is going to be like the naked pinups in my hillbilly uncle's man shed, they're going to signal space where others aren't welcome and they feel safe. I've been to a few man sheds with naked women pinned up, it's a way of saying, this is man space.

I think it's interesting that small towns pride is rising, with the rise of social media, we're seeing a lot more perspectives. Some coming together of some groups isn't quite what you'd want. Joining together because you feel judged isn't the best association, but everyone wants to join together with your kind. I'm not sure I've found my kind, except Buddhists, and that's really hard and fragile because I'm not really an ethnic traditionalist. 

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