*An NAACP chapter calls for the principal at Columbia Central High School to apologize after including Jason Aldean’s song “Try That in A Small Town” in a pre-game video montage honoring the football players.
In the letter to Principal Michael Steel, local Maury NAACP representatives said it received complaints about the controversial song that many have blasted as being racist, The Tennessean reports.
“The disturbed looks on many attendees’ faces visually expressed their disgust. Over the past couple of days, complaints and negative comments turned into a full week of disbelief,” the letter said.
In response to the song choice, representatives from the organization requested an official meeting to discuss the Sept. 29 game and why the tune is triggering for many people, but Chapter president Terry Hannah told The Tennessean that Steele rejected the meeting.
“This song has already been banned on several media outlets and social platforms across the nation,” Hannah states in the letter. “We want to go on record that as an organization we have received numerous complaints and calls voicing major concerns.
“We are troubled and very concerned that the special programming at the pre-game included former players from multiple classes of football players in the history of the school were present and this song choice was very insensitive and a divisive display that they and their families were exposed to,” the letter states. “The disturbed looks on many attendees’ faces visually expressed their disgust. Over the past couple of days, complaints and negative comments turned into a full week of disbelief.”
The letter continues, “As a local organization that supports all people and inclusiveness, we cannot help but wonder what the intent of the choice of this song that has already caused major division and chaos across multiple communities, states and regions in America.”
Hannah was on the CHS field at the time the song was played.
“It was played on a night they were honoring the all-black high school football team, along with past players of the local Columbia Central High School, of which I was one of the athletes also,” Hannah said. “When we were out on the field and the song was playing, we were like, ‘What’s going on?'”
Hannah wants Steele to sit down for a formal meeting to discuss the sensitive nature of the track and issue a public apology for selecting the song.
“It’s not about apologizing to us and our organization, but to do a public apology because he did it in a public setting,” Hannah said, according to The Tennessean.
“That’s really what we want. It’s not asking much, and with him being the school principal he could do it during another football game. He did it at the game, and so why can’t he make the apology at a game? We’re definitely not through with it and are still awake on all of this.”
READ MORE: Country Singer Jason Aldean Reacts to Criticism Over ‘Pro-Lynching’ Song
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