I know this is kind of sick, but when a violent crime in a rural local made news I used to immediately go to the local topix forum. If you want to refute the “we got each other’s back in a small town” message of the latest Jason Aldine song, look no further than the archives of the topix forums (if they still exist): “Them missin’ women—all strung out on fent!”*; “She went to the police, but her momma started the fight!” etc., etc.

I’ve been employed in small towns; I’ve spent summers in my grandparents’ Georgia small town of 500-tops; they do know each other and have community connections, but the idea that their way of life is superior to cities? Fuck Jason Aldean.

*I was trying to make a point, but then realized that fentanyl wasn’t a problem yet when I was looking at topix forums.