Jason Aldean’s song ‘Try That in a Small Town’ gets it right

OPINION:

My family moved to the small town of Delavan, Wisconsin, when I was in the third grade and lived there until my graduation from Delavan-Darien High School. My father was the pastor at First Baptist Church, and my mother worked part time as a bookkeeper for a store in our town.

I still remember Clare Condon. He was a retired city engineer who lived up the block from our house. He served in World War I and II. He was the assistant scoutmaster in our troop, band director at church, and active in the local American Legion Post.

He was a prime example of small-town values. He served his country in two world wars and then came back and served his community.

He taught us about God and country when he organized the Scouts to put American flags on each of the graves of veterans at the cemetery. He was a true servant leader — the kind that keeps small towns going these days.

Jason Aldean’s song “Try That in a Small Town” makes perfect sense. It’s all about community and looking out for your neighbor — even if it means standing up against an angry mob.

It’s the localized version of what President Ronald Reagan called “peace through strength.”

Bullies rule only if people are intimidated by them. Once a group of people stand up to them, they back down.

In small towns like the one I grew up in, we look out for neighbors and stand up for what is right — regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or other distinctions.

Mr. Aldean’s critics should read the lyrics of the song, written by his guitarist Kurt Allison along with Kelley Lovelace, Neil Thrasher and Tully Kennedy:

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 s—- 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

The song is about standing up to those who would break the law, hurt the helpless, disrespect legitimate authority, and seek to intimidate law-abiding citizens. These things are wrong, and I learned that growing up in a small town.

There are many others in big cities and suburbs who share our values.

Too many liberals look for ways to project outrage instead of finding real solutions to the problems so many people face. All too often, they overlook their own hypocrisy on these issues.

In 2020, then-Sen. Kamala Harris said that Tupac Shakur was the greatest rapper alive. Actually, he was killed in 1996. Before his death that year, he released “Hit ’Em Up,” which he co-wrote. It includes these lyrics:

Grab ya Glocks when you see Tupac
Call the cops when you see Tupac, uh
Who shot me? But ya punks didn’t finish
Now ya ’bout to feel the wrath of a menace
N——, we hit ’em up

(Note: He actually said the word I blocked out.)

In her defense, it is likely that Vice President Harris never actually listened to his music or read the words.
Increasingly, songs glorifying extreme violence and abuse of women are topping the charts in pop and rock in addition to rap. These songs talk about values that are opposite to the ones I learned in the small town of Delavan.

Having traveled the country, I’ve met plenty of people who grew up in big cities and suburbs who share our values and are willing to stand up to defend them. Instead of attacking Jason Aldean, Americans should be joining him against the criminals who are trying to take over our country.

• Scott Walker is president of Young America’s Foundation and served as the 45th governor of Wisconsin from 2011 to 2019.