OpEd: Tryin’ it in a Small Town
DISCLAIMER: We don’t often delve into the political realm with our business. It’s just not something we see a ton of value in. We want our shops to be a place where everyone feels welcome, regardless of political stance. However, we do want to expand on some recent feedback we received regarding our sign, with the name of Jason Aldean’s song “Try that in a small town.” We’d like a chance to defend our position. All opinions featured are those of the author and not of Gather Coffee Co.
All sources are linked. I tried my best to remain factual.
If you wish to avoid any political discord, please feel free to move along and enjoy some coffee content back on our blog.
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We recently featured a line from Jason Alden’s track “Try that in a Small Town” on a sign by our back door in Oneida. We had so many positive comments from customers! However, a single customer issued some complaints about it - sending the tired comments that we were supporting a video “tainted with lynchings and racism.”
Apparently, the courthouse Aldean used in his video was used in a lynching 100 years ago.
We can all agree that lynchings are a terrible stain on our nation’s racial past. But can we also agree that we have made progress in this space? When was the last time you heard of a lynching?
Point 1: Other music videos and artists don’t get the same treatment. Why?
Dan + Shay filmed a music video in Robertson County, Tennessee. According to the website lynchinginamerica.com, Robertson County has a disproportionate number of lynchings, with a total of 11. Almost 5% of ALL lynchings in Tennessee were conducted in Robertson County. The music video was shot around Springfield Square, and most notably, features the Robertson County Courthouse. In 1881, 5 black men were lynched at this very courthouse.
Dan + Shay have a history of social media posts promoting more left-leaning viewpoints, especially their Facebook posts regarding race in light of the George Floyd killing. I would assume that a group against these behaviors would NOT film a video where black men hung from the balcony. Yet they did, and with no outrage.
Click the image for more information on the 1881 lynchings.
Even Ingrid Andres’ TODAY show appearance was filmed in downtown Springfield, right in Robertson County. I wonder why the TODAY show was not treated to the same scrutiny regarding the “racial history” of the region?
Its interesting.
Why are we not talking about the Jim Crow North?
Downtown Boston was a flashpoint for a lot of racial tensions, even up into the 1980s. Over 40 riots occurred in Boston from 1974-1976. Stabbings in Boston injured many, and led to a mass riot where 2500 white people attacked police and minority students.
Perhaps one of the more disturbing cases in Boston included black bible salesmen from South Carolina. They attended a local beach. Soon, hundreds of white people arrived with pipes and sticks, chasing them on foot. Their car was destroyed. Just a few days later, a taxi with a black driver and hispanic passengers was attacked . This led to 6,000 people fighting in a mass riot on August 10. (Source)
Yet the same Boston has been the filming locations for movies such as “Black Panthers: Wakanda Forever,” “Challengers,” “The Holdovers (feat Paul Giamatti), and Bradley Cooper’s newest movie, “Maestro.” There are countless other movies and music videos that have been filmed in Boston.
So where’s the outrage?
A rioter about to injure a black man, downtown Boston.
The American Red Summer
In the Summer of 1919, there were countless terrorist attacks in Black communities across the North, including New York, Chicago, and Washington D.C. Over 300 black people were killed that Summer alone. The New York Race riots happened during this time as well, killing 120 people.
American Red Summer
New York State of Mind: The Capital of the Jim Crow North
We cannot talk about the Jim Crow North, without discussing New York City, “The Capital of the Jim Crow North.”
Slavery came to New York in 1626, with 20% of the population being slaves. The city did not vote for Abraham Lincoln, as the city was run by slaves and depended on the free labor for its economy. Massive race riots broke out in 1900, 1935, and 1943. Additionally, racism propagated through urban planning in the city, much of which led to discrimination, even after WW2. Even as recent as the 1990s, racism was apparent in police practices such as “stop, question, and frisk” which affected 4.5 million minorities.
Yet, Snoop Dogg filmed his famous video for “New York, New York” in the city, as well as Taylor Swift for her song “Welcome to New York.” Jay-Z also filmed a video for his song “Empire State of Mind.”
So where’s the outrage?
Point 2: We lived in Big Cities
Four years ago, we fled the city of Portland, Oregon, a democrat-led city on the brink of collapse. Once a haven for baristas and funky bands, the city is overrun with open drug use, uncontrolled homeless, dirty needles and human feces on the streets, and a declining economy. The city allowed left-leaning groups like ANTIFA and BLM conduct violent protests in the city with no police enforcement. I worked there, and commuted every day.
The city was not safe. Not safe to walk, not safe to raise kids in. We literally and physically did not feel safe. Adding to this, most places banned concealed carry, reducing your ability to defend yourself. With the moves to defund Portland Police, it was even more exacerbated. I saw a 4 year-old girl get stuck by a. dirty needle on the MAX.
This point is very ironic, especially since some of the feedback on the sign in our shop was a customer “didn’t feel safe once we saw the sign.” My family literally wasn’t safe in a democrat-led city that promoted illicit activities, restricted police, and reduced my ability to protect myself and my loved ones.
Point 3: The Double Standard
We talked above about the double standard in music and entertainment. But the issue goes far beyond that.
In 2019, rapper Joyner Lucas filmed a music video in a church in Worcester, Mass. It was in St. Peter’s Catholic Church where the rapper portrayed President Trump’s funeral, and asked for God to “teach conservatives a lesson.” The violence was there, yet the outrage was missing.
Just as recently as 2010, prominent Democrats and former Presidents Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama attended the funeral of Robert Byrd. President Biden even gave the eulogy for this Democrat Congressman. However, Robert Byrd was a recruiter for the West Virginia chapter of the Ku Klux Klan. Joel Baskin, the grand dragon of the region, was “impressed with Robert Byrd’s skills". Robert Byrd was eventually promoted to “exalted cyclops” of the Klan, making him a top officer. While many will say Byrd renounced these days, even up through 1964, he fought against the Civil Rights Act.
And yet, these politicians felt the need to attend the funeral, and President Biden even eulogized him? Biden called him “remarkable.”
Where is the outrage?
Conclusion
We could do more research and find even more examples of hypocrisy and double standards. But we have coffee to roast and drinks to sling.
I wanted to spend some time to just highlight my personal concerns with all of this. Either we treat everyone with the same standard, or we don’t. Ironically, that is the basis of racial equality as well. The hope and goal that all are created (and treated) equally. We are not racist, far from it. Our family is raising children to love everyone and to respect everyone.
So how do we fix this?
We need to do our own homework on issues.
We need to STOP watching mainstream media.
Most important, we need to realize that most Americans love everyone, and tolerance is a common virtue. The people in power are manipulating us to hate one another. And we let them.
We now live in a small town. A town that saved us from the depths of Portland. A town where neighbors love and care for one another.
And a town where we dare you to sucker punch someone on a sidewalk, or carjack an old lady at a red light.
We’ll see how far you make it down the road.