Over the past week news media, singers and other celebrities have voiced their opposition or support of Jason Aldean’s latest single, “Try That in a Small Town.” On Monday (7/24/2023) a civil rights activist chimed in on the subject.
Bob Woodson, is not only a civil rights activist, but President of the Woodson Institute. The University of Virginia’s website states this about the institute: Over the course of its 40 year history, the Woodson Institute has advanced African American and African Studies around the world by transforming the professoriate, training the next generation of scholars, and educating the general public about issues of race, social justice, and inequality.
So, one may say that after 40 years, Bob Woodson may be an expert on the subject of race, equality and social justice. And, he agrees with Jason Aldean and the message of the song, “Try That in a Small Town.”
Woodson posted a video to his Twitter feed and explained his views on the song.
I agree with Jason Aldean: Protecting and upholding the values that protect your community from harm and those will ill-intent is neither offensive nor derogatory: it’s necessary pic.twitter.com/GdO0nIr1Bg
— Bob Woodson (@BobWoodson) July 24, 2023
“I do not find Jason Aldean’s song, ‘Try That in a Small Town,’ offensive, nor do I find it racist,” Woodson said. “What he’s really talking about is protecting traditional values. Some years ago, the Woodson Center also had a full day’s conference where we organized around the country grassroots leaders and the theme was, ‘Not Here You Don’t,’ where we talked about the need to protect our community from drug dealers and thugs.”
“I don’t see any difference in what Jason is talking about and what we at the Woodson Center talked about, that we must protect our community.”
