Apparently, expressing any type of opinion on political discourse in country music almost automatically gets you labeled as un-American.

In a video shared to Instagram on Tuesday, Oct. 7, country music artist Nate Smith addressed the role of protest in country music. “If you are in country music … and you are anti-American … we don’t want you here,” Smith said.  “We don’t want you in our genre. We want you out. Don’t let the door hit you in the a**.”

Smith’s comments seemed to be directed at a preview of country music star Zach Bryan’s upcoming song, “Bad News,” which featured lyrics such as “And ICE is gonna come bust down your door … Kids are all scared and all alone,” ultimately culminating in what the singer lamented as “The fading of the red, white and blue.”

While the song has yet to be officially released, its lyrics have proven controversial enough to warrant responses from those including Smith and even Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, who stated that the song is “completely disrespectful … not just to law enforcement but to this country.”

These comments about Bryan’s song raise larger questions about what country music is really about.

In the early 19th century, country music was a stage to share songs of economic despair, political frustration and even labor movements. Merle Travis’ “Sixteen Tons” told the tale of the exploitation of coal miners. Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.,” despite being popular at conservative political rallies, is a protest song about how the U.S. treated veterans of the Vietnam War.

Revered country music icons like Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings are celebrated for introspective songs often based in the experiences of their political landscapes. Cash’s famous “Folsom Prison Blues” takes the perspective of a regretful inmate and advocates for criminal justice reform. Jennings’ “Yoyos, Bozos, Bimbos And Heroes” protests the political circus surrounding the Iran-Contra hearings of the 1980s.

Of course, politically charged country songs were plentiful on both sides of the aisle. What had unified the genre, however, was their practice of not shying away from relevant political and social topics, and instead using their art to express disagreement.

After the Sept. 11, attacks in 2001, country music saw an influx of patriotism. In the wake of the tragedy, many listeners sought out music that fueled their American pride. Some songs spoke to a shared national identity while others aimed to become a rallying cry for Americans and the American military. These patriotic songs spoke to popular sentiments of the country genre, but as country music has become synonymous with commercialized patriotism, it has shifted away from the outspoken themes of protest that the genre was previously known for.

Some songs have been so expressly patriotic and even pro-military that they verge on being outright jingoistic. Florida Georgia Line’s song “I Love My Country,” features proud lyrics like “Ain’t nothing to be sorry about / I love my country,” while Trace Adkins’ “Still a Soldier,” has lyrics such as “His blood runs red, white and blue / He put away his gun and boots / But he still believes the American dream.” While some ultra-patriotic artists endear themselves to many fans, these lyrics mark a significant departure from the themes that country music was built on.

In the 24 years since 2001, country music has become almost unrecognizable. The shift away from anti-establishment protest songs has largely continued, but now, modern country music is even more superficial. Morgan Wallen – arguably the face of modern country music – has album after album full of surface-level lyrics about heartbreak and drinking too much. Younger country artists flaunt their partying escapades and lavish lifestyles, while older artists paint pictures of beautiful families living the American dream. A trend of boastful American pride suppresses any substantial social critiques.

Modern day country music is not a monolith. Some artists remain outspoken with songs like Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit’s “White Man’s World” speaking to racial injustices and Sturgill Simpson’s “Call to Arms” chronicling military exploitation by the government. But recent comments that frame political dissent as “un-American” are an affront to the roots of the genre.