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Sympthsical

(10,753 posts)

57. The song is being used as an excuse to exercise cultural bigotry

Sun Jul 23, 2023, 07:53 PM

Jul 2023

Complain about the song, sure.

However, I think the reason this just keeps going and going is because it's being used as an excuse - a pretext to get the full hatred for people out there in a socially acceptable way. Like lancing a boil. Give people the ok, and they will go with it. Like when a Republican is gay, and suddenly all those LGBT allies have a lot of homophobic commentary always at the ready, just lurking around in the back of their minds. Any excuse for an ugly party.

It's kind of interesting. Kind of not. Ok, you hate people that are different. Fine. We got it. Oh, they're still going . . .

At present my favorite mode of story is "I grew up in a small town in 1873 . . ." Like so many of these stories are from 60 years ago for some reason. Do people know it's 2023? Have they been to a small town in the past five years? 10? 20?

I would never live in a small town - not my cuppa. There are problems in rural areas - clearly. But there's an image fixed in mid Twentieth Century reliant on cultural stereotypes and tribal hatred.

Bored. So bored. This isn't interesting. Having complex, nuanced conversations about rural America would be crazy interesting. Instead it's all, "Fuck the yokels! Heh heh, anyone else in my cloistered space agree with this common prejudice we all share?"

Boooooored. How is this conversation.

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Hey Aldean, I was raised in a small town. Let me tell ya' 'bout it . . . [View all] AndyS Jul 2023 OP

👇👇👇👁️👁️ Goonch Jul 2023 #1

I still live in the small town I was raised in MissMillie Jul 2023 #2

Greatest Page for your illuminating post, Andy! nt CaliforniaPeggy Jul 2023 #3

This is powerful, Andy. Thank you. yardwork Jul 2023 #4

I heard about Biden's bill that will put WIFI in places that can't get it now. Maraya1969 Jul 2023 #5

I have free internet True Blue American Jul 2023 #72

Wow. My internet costs over $100/month. And I don't halve cable Maraya1969 Jul 2023 #76

Small town USA Johnny2X2X Jul 2023 #6

I moved around but lived in a lot of very small towns relayerbob Jul 2023 #7

I was raised in a small town, as well. griffi94 Jul 2023 #8

wow prodigitalson Jul 2023 #47

I weep when I visit the small central Ohio town where I went to school and hung out. I was sinkingfeeling Jul 2023 #9

I've got a question; A HERETIC I AM Jul 2023 #42

I really can't give you an informed answer. I haven't lived in Ohio since 1977 and just go sinkingfeeling Jul 2023 #54

I'll tell you what happened to many of these small towns. Glaisne Jul 2023 #66

Wheelersburg here True Blue American Jul 2023 #73

K & R and thank you. mountain grammy Jul 2023 #10

Sounds like you and I have the same brother.... lastlib Jul 2023 #11

It's like being the Marilyn of the Munsters SouthernDem4ever Jul 2023 #58

Also raised in a small town ... in the mountains of Northern Colorado. And YUP! AnrothElf Jul 2023 #12

My parents moved me to a tiny CO coal minin' town lambchopp59 Jul 2023 #19

Jesus Bleedin' Christ!! A HERETIC I AM Jul 2023 #43

No apology necessary lambchopp59 Jul 2023 #60

... Aristus Jul 2023 #53

Thank you. That was a good summation of the problem of these people. erronis Jul 2023 #20

True, not all small town white people. AnrothElf Jul 2023 #32

yeah, I too was raised by anti-racist southern white parents prodigitalson Jul 2023 #48

YyyyyyyuuuuuuuuuP AnrothElf Jul 2023 #49

Small towns are parochial. and tribal pirsquared Jul 2023 #23

My in-laws are from a small town in central Illinois that's listed in Wikipedia when you look up ... Hassin Bin Sober Jul 2023 #13

I've read Delphinus Jul 2023 #14

It sort of explains the fear many white people have about becoming a minority. rubbersole Jul 2023 #18

There are far more decent people living in small towns than these noisy/nasty haters. erronis Jul 2023 #21

Small towns are hit and miss when it comes to "small town values" haele Jul 2023 #26

I would put a fine point to this Cosmocat Jul 2023 #70

Big city girl here. Born and raised. And I like it. calimary Jul 2023 #38

One thing I've learned about living in a small town -- it's a place where you can MAKE A DIFFERENCE! 70sEraVet Jul 2023 #64

I was raised in a small town of 115 people in the Catskills. I have no idea what Redneck Moron is AZLD4Candidate Jul 2023 #15

I lived in a small city (Victoria ,Texas) growing up. cannabis_flower Jul 2023 #16

there are good and bad people everywhere Kali Jul 2023 #17

Similarly, "not all cops are bad" LuvLoogie Jul 2023 #22

I have struggled for a lot of my life to find some way to AndyS Jul 2023 #29

"Willful ignorance" They may not be stupid but they don't want to change. Well said. erronis Jul 2023 #37

The song is being used as an excuse to exercise cultural bigotry Sympthsical Jul 2023 #57

Nothing against small towns Ohioboy Jul 2023 #24

This message was self-deleted by its author Ohioboy Jul 2023 #25

Remember the guy in CO Springs who took down the shooter at the drag club event librechik Jul 2023 #27

The Myth of Mayberry: Straw Man Jul 2023 #28

What bothers me most about this song tiredtoo Jul 2023 #30

+1 just read the lyrics treestar Jul 2023 #41

Bugbears seem very real when you're in the Conservative Media bubble. maxsolomon Jul 2023 #75

I guess my town isn't as small as I thought DLCWIdem Jul 2023 #31

You said two things; WI as in not deep south and Liberal arts university. AndyS Jul 2023 #33

Any days of those innocent, fresh faced white kids Warpy Jul 2023 #34

+1 treestar Jul 2023 #40

You've nicely written about the real reality - not the T.V. stereotypes. I think I see a mini-series erronis Jul 2023 #44

Heh, a lot of people think I missed my true calling Warpy Jul 2023 #45

I hear the Hallmark Channel is looking for writers . . . . hatrack Jul 2023 #55

Yep, Glaisne Jul 2023 #67

I have lived in big cities all my life. Demobrat Jul 2023 #35

Oh Demobrat, I understand exactly what you say. AndyS Jul 2023 #56

If you had grown up in a place where everyone knew everyone... OldBaldy1701E Jul 2023 #63

Whatever you do don't let Aldean see this Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Jul 2023 #36

love it. n/t area51 Jul 2023 #65

the upside of everyone knows everyone else treestar Jul 2023 #39

Emmett Till visited the small town of Drew Mississippi in August of 1955, and never made it home LetMyPeopleVote Jul 2023 #46

Small towns are small because no one goes there. Initech Jul 2023 #50

I would visit those places in a hot second. Demobrat Jul 2023 #51

A relative of mine once explained small town life from a high school kid's perspective. hunter Jul 2023 #52

And that satellite internet... tosh Jul 2023 #59

Thanks Andy! Grumpy Old Guy Jul 2023 #61

Sounds like the town I grew up in... Trueblue Texan Jul 2023 #62

So you must be one of the younger ones on here having Internet as a kid Snooper9 Jul 2023 #68

Small Towns Renaissance Man Jul 2023 #69

I spent a bunch of years in small towns ExWhoDoesntCare Jul 2023 #71

There is a reason big cities have thriving LGBT communities DBoon Jul 2023 #74

I got a chuckle out of you saying your "small" town had a population of 8,000. llmart Jul 2023 #77