Liberals prefer musical degeneracy over Jason Aldean’s new hit
Briana Oser
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Conservatives regularly deplore the corrosive effects of rap music. So shouldn’t they also answer for a new wave of fascistic anthems dominating the country music scene?
In the “pro-lynching” accusations against Jason Aldean’s new music video, liberals, unfortunately, embarrass themselves once again. They demonstrate that they could not care less about the quality of our culture unless it seems to challenge their ideological ends. The excesses of pop culture can, and often do, inflict harm on society. But most liberals will only call attention to this reality if they can discover, or in this case, invent, a narrative that props up their political agenda.
Liberals are upset about the music video for “Try That In A Small Town” because it was filmed at the scene of a 1927 lynching, and because it criticizes the crimes committed during the Black Lives Matter riots. Aldean’s intention was to appreciate community values and condemn criminal behavior. The outlandish allegations about race reflect the same logic of reparation demands and censorship of language. Because liberals are convinced that racism is a ubiquitous vice of our time, rampant in our system and in our implicit biases, anything that challenges progressive racial notions is considered racist.
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In criticizing Aldean’s song, liberals are admitting the influence of music over the direction of our culture. If “Try That In A Small Town” should be censored because of its supposed vices, they should also reprimand the glib degeneracy promoted by popular music. “Unholy” by Sam Smith is a song glorifying infidelity but it hit No. 1 on Billboard last fall. “WAP” by Cardi B is an obsessively sexual anthem that refers to women as “whores” and objectifies them, but it is commended as “sexually liberating.” Rap music commonly refers to women as “b*****s” and “s***s,” and portrays them as objects to be acquired through material wealth. Liberals hardly ever criticize rap music for its sexist content.
If liberals are worried that Aldean’s hit promotes racism and gun violence, they should also worry about the effects of sexism and degeneracy in popular music. Granted, any form of art leaves room for interpretation, but some moral consistency is in order. The entertainment industry is by its nature manipulative, often on a subliminal level. Combine that with narratives that are politically driven, and young people are left in a consumer void with nothing good or substantial to guide them.
Briana Oser is a summer 2023 Washington Examiner fellow.