{"id":30713,"date":"2023-07-21T12:53:53","date_gmt":"2023-07-21T16:53:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithmediaandculture\/?p=30713"},"modified":"2023-07-21T12:53:53","modified_gmt":"2023-07-21T16:53:53","slug":"breaking-the-100-million-sound-barrier-the-small-town-controversy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/faithmediaandculture\/2023\/07\/breaking-the-100-million-sound-barrier-the-small-town-controversy.html","title":{"rendered":"Breaking the $100 million “Sound” barrier + The “Small Town” controversy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here’s the latest from the crossroads of faith, media & culture: 07\/21\/23<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"Sound<\/strong><\/p>\n

Angel Studios’ sleeper hit Sound of Freedom<\/em> starring Jim Caviezel has crossed a major theatrical milestone – pulling in over $100 million at the box office.<\/strong> Since its #1 debut on July 4th (beating Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny<\/strong><\/em>) the fact-based crowdfunded movie has yet to not be among the top three movies on the domestic charts. The well-made movie<\/a> , which brings attention to the issue of child sex trafficking, has drawn fire from critics who apparently view taking a stance against as engaging in a right wing conspiracy theory. IMHO<\/strong>, true liberals are offended by any suggestion that they don’t view international child sex trafficking as a real problem that needs to be addressed.<\/p>\n

Then there’s this: Jason’s Aldean’s controversial music video Try That in A Small Town<\/em><\/a> is, as of this writing, #1 on iTunes<\/a>. <\/strong>That’s despite or, perhaps, because of its video being pulled from the CMT<\/strong> rotation due to online criticism that it’s racist and promotes violence. I have to say, I’m not completely comfortable with the song myself – particularly the lyric that goes “Got a gun that my granddad gave me”<\/em> that has an insinuation that I do find a bit unnerving and problematic.<\/p>\n

Overall though, I also have to say that I completely get the expression of exasperation regarding the government acceptance of bullying of law-abiding citizens (and even law enforcement officers) by violent criminals and the declaration that the people in small town America have seen enough and are standing strong against it. While I personally would have left out the reference to guns, I have no problem at all with these lyrics:<\/p>\n

\n
Sucker punch somebody on a sidewalk<\/em>
Carjack an old lady at a red light<\/em>
Pull a gun on the owner of a liquor store<\/em>
Ya think it’s cool, well, act a fool if ya like<\/em><\/div>\n
Cuss out a cop, spit in his face<\/em>
Stomp on the flag and light it up<\/em>
Yeah, ya think you’re tough<\/em><\/div>\n
Well, try that in a small town<\/em>
See how far ya make it down the road<\/em>
Around here, we take care of our own<\/em>
You cross that line, it won’t take long<\/em>
For you to find out, I recommend you do<\/em>n’t
Try that in a small town<\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
There is a justifiable righteous anger across the land against the ongoing assault on basic values like it’s wrong to violently attack innocent people going about their daily business, it’s wrong to steal and take what doesn’t belong to you, it’s wrong to burn down buildings and gut neighborhoods (whether you brazenly label the events as “mostly peaceful” or not) and it’s wrong to promote and tolerate child abuse in all its forms<\/a>. BTW, standing against street violence is not racist. In fact, it’s violating the civil rights of all people – particularly those in poorer neighborhoods – not to enforce the laws to protect them.<\/div>\n
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The popular success of both Sound of Freedom<\/em> and Try That in a Small Town<\/em> reveals a public that is feeling a little bit like Peter Finch<\/strong> as anchorman Howard Beale in Paddy Chayefsky<\/strong>‘s classic 1976 film Network<\/strong><\/em><\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n