Old Mass Shootings Article Resurfaces Amid Jason Aldean Gun Controversy

Singer Jason Aldean's controversial new track "Try That in a Small Town" has prompted a gun violence prevention activist to share a 5-year-old article which states that the majority of school shootings take place in small-town America.

Country star Aldean, 46, caused a stir when he released the music video for his track on Saturday. The song compares city life and small-town lifestyles, and includes the lyrics that if somebody "cross[es] that line," to "cuss out a cop, spit in his face" or "stomp on the flag and light it up," to "try that in a small town."

The lyrics continue: "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."

Aldean also sings about a gun that his grandfather gave to him, adding that he doesn't want to give it up. "They say one day they're gonna round up/Well, that s*** might fly in the city, good luck," he sings on the track.

The track sparked spirited discussion on social media, with one detractor branding it "very scary," while a supporter said that the song depicted how Americans "are sick and tired of the crimes, criminals, violence, repeat offenders, liberal DA, 2A assault, defund the police BS."

On Monday, Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, took to Twitter to share an article published by The Associated Press (AP) on May 22, 2018. The article's headline read: "Mass school shootings mostly happening in small-town America."

According to the article, of the 10 deadliest school shootings that had taken place in the U.S. at the time, all but one took place in a town with a population of less than 75,000. Per the AP, the "vast majority" took place in cities with fewer than 50,000 residents.

"Ironically it's people in small towns and suburbia who think it can't happen here. And that is exactly the type of place where it does happen," Peter F. Langman, a psychologist who is a noted expert on school shootings, told the AP at the time. "People tend to think of violence associated with cities, not violence associated with small-town America, but this type of violence is the one associated with small-town America."

Sharing the article on Twitter, activist Watts added the caption: "Someone tell Jason Aldean..."

Reacting to Watts' tweet, one user wrote: "I think we all know that @Jason_Aldean doesn't care one way or the other about any mass shooting. Anyone on the right has continually proven that they care more about their rights to have whatever gun they want than any life that might be ended by one."

However, another user stated: "And the overwhelming amount of gun deaths happen in inner cities Shannon."

Aldean—who grew up in Macon, Georgia, and Homestead, Florida, with populations of 157,346 and 80,737, respectively—wrote a message to his fans on Instagram upon releasing the video.

"When u grow up in a small town, it's that unspoken rule of 'we all have each other's backs and we look out for each other,'" he wrote. "It feels like somewhere along the way, that sense of community and respect has gotten lost. Deep down we are all ready to get back to that. I hope my new music video helps y'all know that you are not alone in feeling that way."

Aldean had previously spoken out against the ease of access to guns after a mass shooter killed 58 people and injured more than 400 in October 2017 at the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas, where he had been performing.

Months after the mass shooting in Las Vegas, Aldean told the AP that guns were "too easy to get," as he questioned the thoroughness of background checks.

"It's too easy to get guns, first and foremost," he said. "When you can walk in somewhere and you can get one in five minutes, do a background check that takes five minutes, like, how in-depth is that background check?"

He added in the interview that he had avoided speaking about gun control in the past, calling it a "no-win situation."

"I think no matter what you say, whether you're for gun control or not, I mean, you're setting yourself up to be crucified in the public eye or in the media," he said.

Aldean has faced public criticism in the past, and was notably dropped by his publicity team last year after he and his wife, Brittany Aldean, made controversial comments about transgender children.

"I'd really like to thank my parents for not changing my gender when I went through my tomboy phase. I love this girly life," Brittany Aldean, a beauty blogger, captioned an Instagram video in August.

Jason Aldean responded: "Lmao!! I'm glad they didn't too, 'cause you and I wouldn't have worked out."