Some people are upset about country singer Jason Aldean’s new song “Try That in a Small Town” and believe that the song is promoting racism and violence. I saw a clip of Whoopi Goldberg from The View stating that just like people in a small town want to look out for their own families, these folks [Black Lives Matter protestors] were doing the same thing. Looting and destroying property does not equate to protecting other citizens or standing up against injustices in the world. America has become the country of “Do whatever the heck you want to do—with no consequences or concern about how your actions affect other people.” But wait—if someone dares to disagree with your actions, then you’re an awful, hypocritical, close-minded person!

 I listened to the song and it’s not talking about violence or racism. Jason Aldean is simply expressing the frustration about so much crime occurring in the world. Some senior citizens are getting robbed and carjacked in their own driveways or running errands at the store. News of smash and grab robberies are frequent and “teen takeovers” are adding nothing positive to the world. Why is it “right” for someone to take something that doesn’t belong to them because they want it immediately and don’t want to save money and purchase it (i.e. brand name clothing)? Why is it “ok” to destroy property in order to send a message or to make a point?  None of these actions will solve any of the issues occurring in the world. 

I’ve never lived in a small town, but it would be nice to live in a community where people are genuinely concerned about each other and want to help each other. Nowadays, some individuals seem to only be concerned about themselves, have a lack of respect for other people and themselves, and do not have morals. Helping someone else would be the furthest thing from their minds. People are tired of crime, bad behavior, and not being able to enjoy the simplest things (i.e. going for a walk or to movie theaters) without being ambushed and assaulted.

Instead of condemning and cancelling Jason Aldean, we should be applauding him. Being in denial about the current state of America will not help us to move forward.