Meanwhile, the presentation of American society as a conflict between “lawless” inner-city populations and “law-abiding” citizens of small towns across the US is not only a blatant appeal to racism: It is an entirely false depiction of the political and social reality facing the urban, suburban and rural working class—white, black and immigrant—entering struggles for fundamental rights wherever they live.
The protests that erupted in 2020 against police violence took place in thousands of small towns across the US, as well as major metropolitan areas, and the demonstrations were thoroughly multi-racial, multi-ethnic in character. Ultimately, Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town” is directed against the growing awareness within the working class of the need for a united struggle against every form of oppression and capitalist society as a whole. It is a filthy and retrograde effort.
-- Kevin Reed, "Jason Aldean’s 'Try That in a Small Town' promotes racism and vigilante violence against protesters" (WSWS).
