Below is my column in the Hill on the censorship of Jason Aldean’s hit single “Try That in a Small Town” by Country Music Television (CMT). Advocates are taking credit for the cancel campaign and, like CMT, appear tone deaf to the implications (and the response) to this censorship.
Here is the column:
Country music singer Jason Aldean’s hit single “Try That in a Small Town” secured two distinctions this week. It hit number one on the country charts, and it was pulled by Country Music Television (CMT).
Putting aside CMT’s effort to become the Bud Light of music networks, the decision to yield to the intense cancel campaign is an abandonment of principles of artistic freedom and free speech.
The song became the focus of many groups on the left for its criticism of violent protests and criminal acts. The song contrasts the culture of small towns with that of big cities. Aldean sings:
“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.”
Aldean took to Twitter to alert fans of the CMT censorship.
“In the past 24 hours I have been accused of releasing a pro-lynching song (a song that has been out since May) and was subject to the comparison that I (direct quote) was not too pleased with the nationwide BLM protests. These references are not only meritless, but dangerous.
There is not a single lyric in the song that references race or points to it — and there isn’t a single video clip that isn’t real news footage — and while I can try and respect others to have their own interpretation of a song with music — this one goes too far.”
Gun control advocates were also outraged by references to the use of a gun to deal with these problems:
“Got a gun that my granddad gave me
They say one day they’re gonna round up
Well, that shit might fly in the city, good luck.”
I can certainly understand why those lines caused objections. Frankly, I also found them disturbing. However, I also find a lot of anti-cop and gang-banging lyrics disturbing, yet I would oppose any effort to censor such music.
These artists are expressing their view of contemporary events. Protest songs have long played a critical part of our political dialogue, from “Yankee Doodle Dandy” to “War.”
This controversy only helps highlight how the corporate effort to control what people hear or consume is backfiring.
For centuries, the adage that “you can bring a horse to water but you can’t make it drink” has been a warning to those who seek to compel others to live or act in particular ways. Today, that adage could well be “you cannot make them drink Bud Light, eat Ben & Jerry’s ice cream or shop at Target.”
We are seeing an intriguing rise of consumer politics as average people express their opposition through their purchases and market choices. It is Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” at work, but on a political level. These days, that invisible hand seems to be giving a middle finger to corporate censorship and social agendas.
Corporations have long known that their social and political agendas were unpopular with many consumers. But they gambled that consumers would not boycott Disney theme parks or NFL games. They are a captive audience — people will want to ride Space Mountain or watch the Bears play.
However, that is not the case when there are fungible or alternative products. Bud Light is an example. The company is still in free-fall with customers after Alissa Heinerscheid, vice president of marketing for Bud Light, pledged to change the beer companies “fratty reputation and embrace inclusivity.” She succeeded beyond her wildest dreams. After the company celebrated the transitioning of transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney, beer drinkers opted for other brands.
For many consumers, the rejection appears as much about corporate social activism as transgender politics. Every time irate beer drinkers pick up Modelo Especial instead of Bud Light, they feel a sense of satisfaction — a political chaser with their beer. (Modelo has now passed Bud Light as America’s most popular brand.)
Ben & Jerry’s reportedly lost $2 billion after celebrating the July 4th by shaming the United States over “stolen” Indian lands and demanding the return of Mount Rushmore. The same phenomenon appears to be playing out with corporations like Target, which has lost billions after a similar controversy.
CMT may be closer to the NFL than Bud Light. There are few alternatives for country music listeners. However, there are some, from YouTube to direct purchases. The latter seems to be the choice of many, as the song skyrocketed to the top of the charts after CMT’s censorship.
For many, CMT (which has its headquarters in One Astor Plaza in New York City) is out of touch not only with the small town culture of Aldean, but also with its consumer base.
As consumers tank brands such as Bud Light, and as companies such as Disney experience significant drops in profits, shareholders may become vocal about these decisions. Even if they are agnostic about free speech, they tend to be devout when it comes to profits.
CMT is unlikely to be as defiant as Disney. While many families objected to Disney’s social agenda, the size of the corporation is so large and it is sufficiently diversified that it can take a market hit that would crush most other companies. CMT is neither diversified nor insulated to the same extent. It is closer to Bud Light. It sells country music, and consumers can find other outlets for their tastes.
By pulling the song, CMT tied its brand to censorship, even if only temporarily. What Bud Light showed is that companies cannot attempt nuanced half-measures. If it is going to avoid a “Bud Light moment,” it has to offer more than a “my bad.”
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University.
“But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”
– Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence, 1776
Sad bunch of Dims who find a song condemning violence and prasing manly opposition to anarchy is more objectionable that the violence itself. Total agree with Aldean many of these issues are urban but they seep our way in the smaller communities. As the song, implies the Dim crazies should know we’re tan, rested an ready.
Mespo,
As others have mentioned, the song came out in May.
In leftists eyes, Aldean’s sin is in the video he used actual news footage of them behaving badly. Had he shown small town people acting kindly with the juxtaposition of the song on going it would of been totally over a woke leftist head and no faux outrage.
Dear Prof Turley,
While I applaud your tireless defense against censorship (especially by ‘surrogate’), I’m from a small town. In fact, according to the UK Guardian newspaper, the ‘poorest white’ small town in all the land. That’s right, the dark heart of Appalachia, ground zero in the War on Poverty – America’s longest war.
Poverty and despair are winning, but not without a fight. Try That in a Small Town. The gov. ain’t out of money .. . all they got to do is make some more.
(special note. I’ve also spent some time in the ‘poorest black’ small town – and it is much the same.)
Heard they paid good money to sing into a can. So, I loaded up the truck and moved away from there. Hillbilly Elegy . .. movie stars, swimming pools and everything.
*I am a man of constant sorrow .. . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDDEqgmGIVg
First stanza: “Sucker punch somebody on a sidewalk | Carjack an old lady at a red light | Pull a gun on the owner of a liquor store”. These are clear crimes that we have a criminal justice system to deal with. This song is encouraging vigilante murder instead.
Second stanza: “Cuss out a cop, spit in his face Stomp on the flag and light it up”. These are constitutionally protected free speech rights (not the spitting). This song is using opposition to free speech to justify vigilante murder. Cancel culture much?
Sixth stanza: “Full of good ol’ boys, raised up right”. “Good ol’ Boys” is a southern term for white nationalist men, KKK level.
Fifth stanza: “Around here, we take care of our own”. Couples with the next stanza, “our own” means white people, thus the target of the song as a whole is non-whites, specifically black people.
This is an awful song about vigilante murder against black people. Of course CMT would want nothing to do with it, no decent person would want anything to do with this song. It is downright scary that so many people in this country think this song is about American values, this song is the white nationalist mindset, not American values.
Just some good ol’ Boys
Never doin’ no Harm
If that is what you read into it, that is your problem.
The rest of us normal, sane people see it as in a small town, we dont do those kind of things in the first place.
We were brought up better than that.
BTW, I am not white.
Vigilante, Definition: a person with the stones to take justice and self defense into their own hands after the proper authorities have repeatedly shown complete indifference or inability.
Don’t like it? Then you are welcome to stay down in the pasture with your unicorns. In a small town, you’d be safe enough there.
So Sammy, what you are really saying is that while somebody sucker punches somebody on a sidewalk or car jacks an old ladies car or pulls a gun on the owner of a liquor store that we all should just stand around and do nothing. Some of us run toward danger and some of us run away. By your comment we know which one you are. Just so you know not everything is just a code word for racism even if that’s the way you want to see it.
TiT,
I think you touched on something.
In the past, as Aldean points out the nostalgic for, people used to stand up and do what is right. Not even necessarily in a small town.
When my father was young, a he and a friend were walking down the sidewalk (Chicago) when someone tried to mug them. The assailant used a straight blade razor and slashed my fathers friend across the forehead and ran off. A newly married couple saw what happened got my father and his friend in the back of their new car, and drove him to the hospital. Blood all over the back seat.
Nowadays, we would have a Sammy, just standing there, videoing the whole thing.
Here’s an idea: If you don’t like the song, then don’t listen to it.
There was a time when liberals defended distasteful art.
Now liberals censor speech, tear down public statues, and pile on to try to destroy the careers of artists who produce art they do not like.
“Now liberals censor speech, tear down public statues, and pile on to try to destroy the careers of artists who produce art they do not like.”
Anonymous–Exactly…..That’s why for several years now, I’ve called them “The Toddler Taliban”.
No it isn’t.
Your leftism is showing badly.
MOREOVER, there have been numerous songs released that glorify violence – particularly against cops. I didn’t care about those messages – and didn’t listen or buy them – and the record label that released them.
Your interpretation is yours. You read in that which you think fits your narrative.
Is there a specific part of my interpretation that you disagree with?
“Is there a specific part of my interpretation that you disagree with?”
The whole “interpretation.” You rewrote that song, just as Marxists rewrite history — via a wish.
You used two (typical) tools of deceit. You ignored the context (riots, police standing down, defunding the police). And you injected your fantasy interpretations of the words.
My quotes are verbatim, no changes at all. Also, the song does not mention anything about riots, police standing down, or de-funding the police. It only references four crimes, none of which are related to rioting. My interpretation of the words is from common southern parlance. The meaning of the song is obvious.
And yet you celebrate gangster rap I’m sure.
It’s all a fantasy you’re having Sammy. I been told the same tall tales, like almost everyone else have never seen it, haven’t heard of it currently, so some lunatic historical spew pretense that this is 1860 or, the living embodiment of part of the hippies 60’s movement complaining is the big lie.
“This is an awful song about vigilante murder against black people.” HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Stop living in the past. Stop trying to take us back to the tall tales of the 1800’s, or the current tales of Africa or Lybia where your people destroyed a nation and brought it to modern slavery then shut up about it the second it became apparent you screwed up big time, leaving the current slaves to fend for themselves, your fault indeed.
Did CMT object to the violence, rioting, deaths and looting during the George Floyd mayhem, or do they only object to people defending themselves, their loved ones, their property and community.
The level of guilt, hypocrisy, and projection is really astounding.
Jonathan brought up Rap Music, and yes we have to say it is outright exactly what Sammy is whining about just above concerning the hilariously NIMBY country song.
The level of projection and hypocrisy is out of this world. They are worse than imaginable. It should be impossible that lies and obfuscation and projection this large gets playtime without being utterly crushed and totally humiliated to the extent that it is not tried again.
I guess the demonic belief that I can use the N word publicly and often but you cannot or you’re dead is thoroughly entrenched in the mush above the popsickle stick necks.
Realistically they enjoy the power rush and complete unfairness and it makes them feel like a big daddy toxic male decider and punisher.
CMT Fascists’ can wear cowboy hats and rodeo belt buckles. Still Fascists.
“Corporations have long known that their social and political agendas were unpopular with many consumers. But they gambled that consumers would not boycott Disney theme parks or NFL games. They are a captive audience — people will want to ride Space Mountain or watch the Bears play.”
It’s not so simple to boycott corporations. Don’t want to take your kids to Disney? Better cancel ESPN, too.
https://www.titlemax.com/wp-content/uploads/every-company-disney-owns.jpeg
Ticked off at Pfizer for vaccine shenanigans? Better not purchase Centrum either.
https://drnealsmoller.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/14_megacorporations_2_2048x2048.jpg
Torqued at Monsanto because of Round-Up? Well, they’re owned by Bayer, so better find another way to soothe that headache. And, Monsanto owns DeKalb, as in the seed corn company. Corn is in E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. Can you tell which bit of corn is from DeKalb used in that high fructose corn syrup in Pepsi or Coca-Cola?
https://philhowardnet.files.wordpress.com/2018/12/Seed2018-1.pdf
Starts getting tricky to boycott companies.
Prairie, there is no rule one has to boycott all offenders at the same time. Pick one, preferably a weak one. Win, and then deal with the next. The boycotters didn’t deal with all of Bud’s products. They dealt with only one. Boycotters didn’t deal with Unilever, they dealt with Ben and Jerry’s.
Things of this nature require focus.
S. Meyer,
“Prairie, there is no rule one has to boycott all offenders at the same time.”
True
“Pick one, preferably a weak one. Win, and then deal with the next.”
Sort of the Dave Ramsey approach–snowballing your boycotts to achieve lasting results.
“Things of this nature require focus.”
Yes. A systems approach, though, could also be of benefit. I approached my Hashimoto’s thyroiditis from more than the standard thyroid replacement hormone protocol. My functional medicine doctor and I addressed my lousy health in a systems approach by, yes, having me take some medication, but, what really got me feeling better was avoiding processed food and gluten, trying to get more sleep and exercise and more sunshine (though I could always be better on these three), as well as taking some targeted supplements.
A systems approach could be of benefit in this situation, too. Know the systems these corporations exist in would help you to know next steps, and, you could perhaps deal with several at a time. Don’t want to support Disney? Get rid of the channel, cable, or TV altogether. Aggravated by Monsanto, Round-Up, and HFCS? Avoid processed foods–that’ll affect boatloads of companies.
Suggesting this, though, I do feel a bit like I’m playing Jenga… yikes.
Everything you listed is either an optional item or one with many substitutes. Easy. To. Boycott.
Prairie Rose,
Some of those Rx could be difficult to boycott if there is no affordable alternative or one that your insurance covers.
As for other things like products, companies there are alternatives.
I never drank Bud Light in the first place but I am boycotting all InBev products.
Almost never shopped at Target. But I will make it a point not to.
Boycotting Disney. Nothing they have put out in awhile look interesting enough to get me to spend my money. The new Indiana Jones might be the closest.
Might go see Sound of Freedom not only for a good movie but to make a point: I am willing to spend my money on that production.
jd and UpstateFarmer,
“Everything you listed is either an optional item or one with many substitutes. Easy. To. Boycott.”
“As for other things like products, companies there are alternatives.”
I agree in many respects. We don’t have TV and I try to avoid Amazon as much as possible (I’d like to keep money circulating locally, too, in addition to avoiding feeding that behemoth.) I try to buy secondhand or repair things when it is feasible.
I garden and can and make things from scratch quite a bit, but I haven’t looked in to which company owns the ground that grows the potatoes I buy (I haven’t added that veggie to my gardening yet). PepsiCo owns like 5 million acres of potato farms. Maybe they are ALL slated for Lays potato chips. But, some may go in the 10 lb bags I buy at the store. I’d rather support small family farms, but I do still have to be careful with my budget.
Even Walmart and JoAnn’s is either woke or dealing with ESG/DEI stuff, though, so with my inadequate spinning, weaving, and sewing skills, making clothes would get tricky.
One thing about most clothing available today, is it’s frankly junk; poor quality and paper thin. (So thin, in fact, that I swear they had to account for the Casimir Effect between the fabric sheet rollers of the looms)
A few years ago I needed to buy more jeans–I usually buy five or six pair at once and rotate them out over several years–so it could be as much as eight or ten years before I buy a new supply. The brand and style of the jeans I bought since the 1990s was today so thin it was like holding a very large handkerchief rather than a durable set of jeans. I was so put off by the crap these jeans became I haven’t bought a new pair of any jeans since.
We went down to Joanne Fabrics to test the possibility that we could buy raw fabric and make our own clothing. But we found the fabric there was becoming paper thin as well. I asked the manager of the store what was happening and she almost a bit reluctantly said the quality of the fabric has gotten much worse than when she started there over ten years ago and they are now selling mostly stuff sourced from China. I asked her if there was anything that could be done to find quality fabric and she basically was at a loss hereself and recommended buying bolts of vintage cloth or fabric whenever you could find it. It’s amost to the point it seems that one has to sheer your own sheep, pick your own cotton, and spin your own fabric just to get something decent. The decent vintage clothing at Goodwill and second hand stores is mostly exhausted, at least here, as well.
A few years ago I discovered almost by happenstance that New Balance was discontinuing their “Postal” line of leather upper walking shoes. I used these as my primary workshoes for a very long time. They are really good quality shoes that are without most issues and they last many years if proper care is taken. They were designed for use by U.S. Postal Carriers who walk miles per day. Plus they do not have large brand logos on them which is my preference. They aren’t cheap price wise but in the long run they cost less than Chinese made flimsy shoes that only make it a year or so.
Dissappointed that I would soon no longer be able to buy my favorite shoe, I bought a lifetime supply of the shoes just to ensure I could continue wearing these. It might sound odd but there is something to be said by knowing you don’t have to go down to the shoe store to buy increasingly expensive shoes that are less and less quality every year.
I still have knit sweaters I wore in college. Nothing available new today in the U.S. will ever survive that long. A couple knit wool sweaters I bought in Ireland are exceptions to today’s junk and thank God someone there still believes in quality.
Darren,
As a farmer, I go through a lot of jeans.
I experienced the same with the thin material of a long time, once American icon of jeans. They did not last a season.
Try Duluth Trading Company. They are not cheap, but they last.
I’ll check them out. Thank you.
Darren,
“One thing about most clothing available today, is it’s frankly junk; poor quality and paper thin. (So thin, in fact, that I swear they had to account for the Casimir Effect between the fabric sheet rollers of the looms)”
This has been my experience, for far too many brands. Ten years ago or so Target started selling paper thin, see-through t-shirts. A gal didn’t even have to be wet to be revealing her undergarments. Sheesh. I had been limiting my shopping there since before they really lost their marbles. Faux quality for too many items.
Leather uppers or even partially leather uppers on shoes are practically non-existent. Too many shoes are just fabric mesh that gets torn easily. What a dumb design for footwear! I did see some retro full leather(?) high tops not too long ago, but they were white, which means they’d just get dirty and scruffy-looking in no time.
One of the ironies of clothing issues today is that consumers in the west are turning over their wardrobe more frequently and manufacturers are putting out too many products they know will not sell but they put offer a wide variety of styles just to capture more sales. This leads to tremendous waste through deadstock. Much of it ends up dumped as waste in 2nd and third world countries that now face localized environmental problems.
Darren
“This leads to tremendous waste through deadstock. Much of it ends up dumped as waste in 2nd and third world countries that now face localized environmental problems.”
Yes. And it’s invisible to us here in the States. Imagine putting up posters outside Target/Walmart, etc of the worldwide problems we Americans cause with our shortsighted habits.
I find it so disingenuous for corporations to be preaching ESG and “fretting” about climate change while they are also marketing towards and encouraging consumption and convenience and actively discouraging repairs and long-wearing fashions and materials.
To be fair, to what degree is the fast fashion and consumerism a response to inflation and monetary policies? Could they be related?
I also have a few clothes I wore back in college. Knit wool sweaters in a classic pattern are awesome. I even got my favorite one secondhand from a friend who had originally gotten it from a secondhand store.
Prairie Rose: “…We don’t have TV…
~+~
I envy your situation a bit. I actually would rather not have TV but others in my household enjoy having one. The wokeness and sheer inanity of nearly all commercials is enough to make one want defenestrate the damned thing. One trick I have learned is to start recording the show you might want to watch at the begging of the program and then walk away from it for twenty minutes or so. In the mean time do something worthwhile like making dinner, staring at a wall, or whatever one might do that is better than watching commercials (which is probably everything a person could do otherwise in the world). When you return, rewind the tape to the beginning of the program then watch it until the commercials begin then fast forward through all of them. It’s efficient because in an hour you can make dinner and watch tv all within the same time frame, gaining 15 to 20 minutes that commercials rob from your life. But if you don’t have a TV recording device, hitting the mute button believe it or not does go a long way toward lessening the annoyance of commercials.
When I was a youngster we had only five or six channels and it was free. Then we got cable and we had about 12 for probably 8 bucks a month. Now there are 6.022 x 10^23rd channels for $150 a month and most of the time there are less interesting shows on TV then there was nearly half a century ago when we had only 5 stations.
So thin, in fact, that I swear they had to account for the Casimir Effect
🤩 I had to look at the link as I had no idea what CE is. Love the science / physics contribution. See below for more
they are now selling mostly stuff sourced from China
I have avoided buying anything made in China ever since I learned Christmas ornaments and outdoor yard Nativity Sets were made in China. I prefer to buy cotton clothing, usually made in India, Pakistan, Central America, or USA if available. I dont like buying used clothes but do buy at second hand stores items like books, lamps, side tables, etc.
They were designed for use by U.S. Postal Carriers who walk miles per day
I have been using Merrell shoes for more than 20 years, and I find them to offer me the support, stability and longevity that I require given my size, gym training, and ambulation. They are a bit pricey but I often go to outlet stores just for them
I actually would rather not have TV but others in my household enjoy having one
Tough situation. Maybe you can rearrange the furniture to drive home the point. We have a 55″ TV in my office that is attached to the wall above my desk, that is used for Zoom meetings that synchs with my cochlear implant. On rare occasions we will watch a movie via internet download otherwise it is not connected to a cable or satellite tv provider. I learned in college that living rooms were meant to have furniture face each other to facilitate group discussions. So too with kitchen, breakfast and dining rooms. Guests visiting our home come to interact with us and each other. When I was single and dated, my dates were always shocked with my apt or home arrangement. When I married it was not a problem, and my 73 year old Southern Cracker mother-in-law came to like it. She lives alone and her TV is her babysitter.
Now there are 6.022 x 10^23rd
ICWYDT
You might find the following interesting given our previous discussions on obesity, cardiac disease and physics
For three decades medicine has couched the atherosclerosis paradigm in terms of
bad cholesterol or LDL. We have moved away from that and now characterize atherosclerosis as an inflammatory disorder due to immune cell involvement. Hypertension leads to atherosclerosis. High blood pressure results in shear stress and turbulence in the arteries. Immune cells reside in all cells but especially arteries, particularly the inner cell lining known as the endothelium. Endothelial cells (ECs) also have immune capability as do smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, platelets, etc, all which involve blood circulation.
There are over 39 trillion cells in our body, and all of them possess sensors known as PRRs (Pattern Recognition Receptors). PRRs recognize molecular patterns. There are 2 types of molecular pattens that PRRs detect: Pathogen Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs) and Damage Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs). PAMPs are exogenous molecules that belong to viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites. DAMPs are endogenous molecules that are released within our cells when damage or injury occur. Hypertension results in shear stress, strain and turbulent flow within the arteries that damages the ECs. ECs consequently release their damaged components (e.g. DNA, RNA, mitochondria, proteins, cellular debris, etc) and become DAMPs. The immune system senses these DAMPs and respond with an immune response that results in inflammation. As long as the stress is present, the immune system will continue to respond, leading to endothelial dysfunction and immune dysregulation, i.e. heart disease.
Poorly controlled diabetes (high glycemic levels), cigarette smoking, obesity (high fatty acids level all which secrete toxic proteins) and poor nutritional habits, all produce DAMPs which leads to the vicious cycle of inflammation and subsequent pathology. Incidentally hypoxia due to poor sleep habits, anxiety, stress, depression also release DAMPs.
The following links explain the aforementioned though at a rather scientific complex level. The problem with providing material like this is that most require access to journal subscriptions or university access. So I was limited in what I could provide you. The following resources are free. You could always search the internet using keywords like “DAMP hypertension” or “DAMP inflammation”
This is what I do for a living: educate others who may have an interest in this content but would otherwise never access it for fear of intimidation, too complex language or no one taking the time to explain it in their language at their level. I encourage you to spend some time reading on this topic so that you can teach others as well as understand the molecular mechanisms of poor lifestyle choices and consequences therein.
Medicine is undergoing a quiet renaissance whereby prior paradigms are being challenged and newer molecular and genetic mechanisms are being introduced. It is an exciting time to be in medicine. It all starts with making time to investigate.
Cheers
Mussbacher M, Schossleitner K, Kral-Pointner JB, Salzmann M, Schrammel A, Schmid JA. More than Just a Monolayer: the Multifaceted Role of Endothelial Cells in the Pathophysiology of Atherosclerosis. Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2022 Jun;24(6):483-492. doi: 10.1007/s11883-022-01023-9.
Iring A, Jin YJ, Albarrán-Juárez J, Siragusa M, Wang S, Dancs PT, Nakayama A, Tonack S, Chen M, Künne C, Sokol AM, Günther S, Martínez A, Fleming I, Wettschureck N, Graumann J, Weinstein LS, Offermanns S. Shear stress-induced endothelial adrenomedullin signaling regulates vascular tone and blood pressure. J Clin Invest. 2019 Jun 17;129(7):2775-2791. doi: 10.1172/JCI123825.
Thanks for the medical info Estovir. Much of what I’ve read here about DAMPs and PAMPs seem to me to be an effect of modern western living.
Darren,
“The wokeness and sheer inanity of nearly all commercials”
And grossness. While visiting a relative, I saw a feminine hygiene product commercial that used red-dyed water to demonstrate the apparent awesomeness of their product! Ewww! That was nasty and unnecessary! So glad I don’t pay for that garbage.
Also heard a song on the radio that had a cussword in it that used to be bleeped out when it was played on the radio back in the day. I don’t use that word around my kids but they’ll hear it on the radio. Sheesh.
Doesn’t look like ESPN has been doing so well since they went woke.
I guess no corporation or major media institution takes rap lyrics seriously. Because every once and awhile, they mention guns.
RFK JR: “A government that can censor its critics has license for every atrocity — It is the beginning of totalitarianism. There’s never been a time in history when we look back, and the guys who were censoring people were the good guys.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1_RKu-ESCY
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 shit 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
This song has been out since May of this year but it was only when the prog/left was confronted with the news videos of the carnage of their own against America that they lost their sh*t over it. I do think they realize that most of America that lives outside the cesspool blue urban centers see the truth of what is happening and will not tolerate it. The prog/left did not expect pushback against their “fundamental transformation” plans but with the success of the Bud Lite rejection they are beginning to panic that this sort of resistance might (will) take hold.
whimsicalmama,
Well said.
It is the rejection that has them in a tizzy. They expected everyone to just roll over and accept their wokeness. Not only did it not happen, us normal people had the audacity to pushback with our wallets.
Yeah, I don’t see lynching, racism, murder or vigilantism in any of these lyrics. Seems like a bunch of whining from people with a guilty conscience.
exactly, plus the know we know what they really are and those news videos are prime evidence.
I don’t have a problem with Turley being opposed to the censorship here, he does mischaracterize some of the criticisms of the video including that it was partially filmed at the site of an actual lynching. It was important enough for Aldean to complain that he didn’t pick the site but not enough for Turley to mention. Let the video play and let those critical of it have their say. Don’t omit the parts that don’t fit the narrative to make a stronger case.
Let the video play and let those critical of it have their say.
Turley has never endorsed censorship of anyone. Of course he favors letting the critics have their say. If you read what his articles actually say, they denounce censorship or cancelling of other people . . . which is exactly what this particular article is about: CMT’s censorship. That’s very different than “letting critics have their say.” It’s letting critics have their way, as in, censoring the speech they dislike.
What Enigmain failed to say is that he lives in a state that was once inhabited by multiple Native American groups like Miccosukee, Seminoles, and Apalachees, all pushed to near decimated levels, lives in a county that was formerly the Seminole Reservation, where Seminoles were forcibly removed and relocated to Oklahoma, and worked for big greedy corporation in sales.
But yeah, insert mindless, irrelevant woke comment here
Intellectual introspection and honesty escapes him.
“…near decimated levels…”? Since decimation is killing 10%, I would guess that ‘near decimated levels’ would be, what, 90% survival?
I think it’s telling that Turley finds it ‘disturbing’ that free men might use violence against those who would seize weapons. Perhaps Turley believes we should have had a dialogue at Lexington & Concord.
Yeah, it bothers me that Professor Turley seems hot and bothered in how Jason Aldean characterized the present state of America. I dont know about you, but I saw ANTIFA BLM participants meet at a park a few yards from our home. So I joined them reconnaissance mode to hear what they were planning in person. Then they left the park and I saw ANTIFA BLM set fire to my city, Richmond, block traffic on both the major interstates and roads that go through my city, plus businesses, universities, hospitals and mom and pop stores were either vandalized, shuttered closed or put on alert for high crime and violence because of ANTIFA BLM. Heck my family gifted me an AR-15 because frankly we were scared out of our wits from the ANTIFA BLM DNC sanctioned violence. So why would Professor Turley object to the lyrics of this song?
Welllllll, he has told us he lives in McLean, VA.
https://jonathanturley.org/2023/01/01/happy-new-year-12/
According to the US Census Bureau
Income and Earnings
$242,610 ± $12,620
Median Household Income in McLean CDP, Virginia
versus
$80,963 ± $731
Median Household Income in Virginia
https://data.census.gov/profile?g=160XX00US5148376
I doubt the Turley family bought him an AR-15 to defend them during the ANTIFA BLM anarchy. Heck, I doubt ANTIFA BLM was able to get anywhere near McLean, VA, never mind his high income neighborhood. Turley might find the lyrics grating. I find them consoling that another American was able to put to music, words and a well sourced video in capturing what Americans like me saw, experienced and resented like f*** and still do. So there ya go
Estovir,
So I’m dishonest for pointing out Turley’s intellectual dishonesty because I didn’t address an unrelated issue that by the way applies to every state including the one you live in. How about staying on topic.
What does it matter that a lynching took place at the site? Are all lynchings illegitimate, as it was used as a punishment for crime by any race and used in other nations as well as a punishment for crime.
Even if the lynching was supposedly unfounded, are we to never use any site where crime happened in movies anymore? Most of the big cities, if not all, couldn’t be used in film if that was the case.
Pen,
“What does it matter that a lynching took place at the site? Are all lynchings illegitimate, as it was used as a punishment for crime by any race and used in other nations as well as a punishment for crime.”
You sound like you were educated in Florida or Texas. To answer your question, yes, all lynchings are illegitimate. Every single one.
Watch out what you believe when it’s the libleft liars spewing.
I ran many searches on Henry Choate, the purported lynchee, but google just wouldn’t give anything up on the subject at all before this modern controversy.
I started in 1985 and kept moving years forward, nothing 1990, 1995, 2000, 2001, and going forward.
google even tried to mark current articles 1999 or some other older date, but going to that site it was a now article.
I don’t believe the story, it’s another liberal lie.
Just think, they just make it up. Some libturd hack is jamming it into a university library right now, it’s the new history.
I ran many searches on Henry Choate, the purported lynchee, but google just wouldn’t give anything up on the subject at all before this modern controversy.
I started in 1985 and kept moving years forward, nothing 1990, 1995, 2000, 2001, and going forward.
I don’t believe the story, it’s another liberal lie.
Shakdi, I’d look it up for you but I choose not to be the cure for your ignorance. Everything you don’t believe must be a loberal lie. I wonder how much your attitude is representative of others. Maybe someone else will educate you, I’m just writing you off as uneducated by choice.
The song, which is certainly not great art, simply says that violence will not be tolerated in small towns. The left says that is racist. However, they are the racists because, apparently, they think that blacks are violence prone and the ones most likely to engage in it. Ergo, in their way of thinking, a condemnation of violence is a condemnation of blacks. I, for one, am tired of the foolishness emanating from the left, and believe that most sane people are, too.
Lou S.
“I, for one, am tired of the foolishness emanating from the left, and believe that most sane people are, too.”
Two key words in your sentence: Foolishness and sane.
We said.
Why is it when the right gets called out on their lies and words they yell and whine they are being censured, but banning books and rewriting history is just fine with them.
Can you give us a sample list of books that were banned? Author, title, subject.
FISHWINGS, YOUR NAME ILLUSTRATES THE WAY YOU THINK. FANTASY. PLEASE READ AN NON-HOWARD ZINN HISTORY BOOK.
“Got a gun that my granddad gave me
They say one day they’re gonna round up
Well, that shit might fly in the city, good luck”
None of those words advocate the use of a gun. To the contrary, they suggest that weapons confiscations will not fly in a small town.
The gun lyrics are humorous also. Remember everyone saying Obama was going to take everyone’s guns away?
Today there are stronger gun rights than before Obama took office, since the 2008 “Heller” ruling. It’s nearly impossible to take away anyone’s guns from law abiding gun owners.
This lie does sell lots of guns and country music records though!
Since ANTIFA BLM anarchists got uppity, blacks have been buying more guns than any other demographic. Country music not so much. Blacks have been giving Democrats the finger though so there is that
🖕🏾
BLACK AMERICANS PURCHASING GUNS AT RECORD PACE TO PROTECT THEMSELVES
https://web.archive.org/web/20210405174044/https://www.blackenterprise.com/?p=710468
Minorities and women have been 40% of new/first time gun purchases.
It has been 41 straight months of 1 million gun purchases.
That’s because the rest of us have already recognized the need for gun ownership and bought them.
Rebel,
True.
But you can never have enough.
Been eyeing a lever action as of late myself in 45-70govt.
The reason gun laws continue to be clarified and strengthen is due to urban nut jobs who tried to impose their political gun control narrative that is not backed up by the constitution.
@anonymous
The lack of success for leftists regarding restricting or banning gun ownership is not due to lack of trying. Tell me with a straight face that you support gun ownership for law abiding citizens or a gun control proposal that you do not support.
Your attempt to gaslight this blog is not going to work.
antonio
Tell that to the 50,000,000 pistols with braces that Biden’s ATF just declared illegal in a reversal of their own previous ruling.
Note: I don’t own any firearms and never have.
Fight while you can… Democrats are Pure Fascists ,.stealing as fast as they can!
DC is Pour billions into the richest Democrat states!
Jason Aldean represents the dying voice of America.
Justice moves too slow to blunt Biden’s progressive hostile takeover. Using political lawfare, it can easily be accomplished before the circuit court gets around to hearing a case. Regardless of one’s opinions of 2020, would anyone expect DoJ to fight voter fraud in 2024? Hardly. Our system of government is not geared to defend itself from within.
Sing on, cowboy. Just like technology has wiped out the town square, is no one who can stop a hostile takeover in time.
Maybe the song was about the disloyal protesters on the January 6 coup attempt?
Loyal to what, exactly?
Bootlicker.
Trump (and his accessories) made a promise to GOD to uphold their constitutional Oath of Office to the constitutional rule of law system – what the American Flag actually represents.
Planning a coup attempt on January 6 is highly disloyal to everything America stands for.
Would you have preferred that God told the Jan 6 mostly peaceful protestors to warn Nancy Pelosi that He would send them plagues? Surely not
Prologue: Staff into Snake 🐍
1st Plague: Water into Blood 💧🩸
2nd Plague: Frogs 🐸
3rd Plague: Gnats or Lice 🦟
4th Plague: Flies 🪰
5th Plague: Diseased Livestock 🐎🐂🐄🐑🐐🐪
6th Plague: Boils and Sores 🦠
7th Plague: Hail and Thunder ⚡❄🔥
8th Plague: Locusts 🦗
9th Plague: Darkness 🌑☁️
10th Plague: Firstborn Deaths ☠😢
Epilogue: Red Sea Parting 🌊
It was not a coup attempt.
It was a protest that became a riot.
Sorry, can’t even go with riot.
It was actually a mostly peaceful protest.
It was also a fed plot, with pelosi, the dc mayor, and the agencies and leo and provocateurs in on it, as well as the capitol police.
You people better wake up soon.
Cool story bro….It wasn’t a coup
There was no coup attempt, lemming.
There was a coup attempt, it was financed by Hillary Clinton, backed by Barack Obama, Joe Biden and the Executive Agencies, the MSM / DNC, it was successful and the result is now running our country
Hakeem Jeffries
@RepJeffries
The more we learn about 2016 election the more ILLEGITIMATE it becomes. America deserves to know whether we have a FAKE President in the Oval Office #RussianInterference
2:26 PM · Feb 16, 2018
https://twitter.com/RepJeffries/status/964581721088897025
They should all be tried for sedition
You are watching a hostile takeover of America right now. DoJ and the FBI are now Biden’s trigger men. Did I say Biden? Actually no one outside the White House can say for sure who is calling the shots.
The people counting the votes are not going to change it, that much is certain. But worry not, your life is exempt from changing! That is the way they said it would work.
CMT has music? All I’ve seen on it is TV reruns and “country-oriented” movies.
Do the lyrics promote vigilantism? Arguably.
But even if they do, who are you going to blame: The “vigilantes?” Or the spineless politicians and law enforcement authorities who stood down, as Antifa/BLM thugs looted, torched, rioted?
In the face of that country-wide terror and mayhem, what do you expect decent people to do? Assume the fetal position?
A self-respecting person knows the moral meaning of: “Don’t tread on me.” And when government abdicates its basic responsibility to protect the life and property of the innocent, do not blame the innocent for shouldering that responsibility.
Right you are Sam.
First vigilantism.
Argue it is bad. But you must at the same time cede to the fact that defense of person and property is a basic constitutional right.
So how did we get here?
Think of the Western expansion of the mid to late 1800’s. As communities would pop up on waterways and newly laid rail, citizens desire for enforcement of decorum saw the citizens, picking among themselves an honorable and competent man, to enforce the community standards. The Citizen delegated their constitutional power of self defense, to a town Marshall. It is the most basic form of self governance, and delegation of Power. That does not mean the citizens abrogated the power, only delegated the power.
When the Person/s fails to provide the service the citizens contracted, the citizens are forced to exercise their power to protect themselves and their property.
That is what the “small town” song speaks of….abuse the police and elderly in your big city, but a small town, The People. will step up, IF law enforcement chooses to stand down in the face of threats.
As to the defense of private gun ownership, That Protection of rights is enumerated in the constitution. Challenge at at YOUR peril.
I see no threats leveled. Just an equal and opposite action, to violence visited on their small town.