JOHN YURCABA IV: So We Kneel
People upset at those who kneel at the flag in protest are just showing that they never understood what it was about in the first place...the protests OR the flag. The flag is a concept. An ideal. It represents the country we WANT America to be. The country we fight for it to be. It flies high so we can always see it and aim for what it represents.
Kneeling doesn't disrespect the flag. WE disrespect the flag by pretending we are currently anywhere near being examples of what it stands for. To stand and say "Oh, we're TOTALLY living up to this flag. To America's greatest ideals. To that most perfect union we all dream of which this flag is symbolizing. We are ON it." That is a lie. It’s a lie to ourselves, and a lie to anyone who sees us doing it.
It doesn't matter if you, personally, as an individual, are 100% the most infallible example of an American in the history of America. Lincoln, Dr. King, Kennedy, Maya Angelou, and Barack Obama all rolled into one.
Look to your left. Look to your right. Turn on your TV. Look out the window.
We are not doing okay. As a whole, as a country, as Americans, we are failing each other, we are failing the world, and we are definitely failing to live up to the flag.
Cops are beating and killing the innocent. Black people are being targeted, abused, and even lynched in modern times. The President (or what passes for a President to some people) is hiding in a bunker, inciting division in the country, and committing violence against American people. He assaulted peaceful protesters for a hollow, heartless, and horrific photo op at a church he'd probably never visit of his own free will, holding a book he'd never read.
Except for that one time he read about the two Corinthians, I suppose.
The flag’s purpose doesn't change. Sure, the design may have been rearranged over the years to accommodate more stars for more states, but since its inception, it has represented some form of the same idealized version of America that we all hope to one day make a reality. We evolve as a people, as a nation, and when we vote, we are agreeing on the lawmakers and leaders we believe will most accurately move us closer to the ideals that the majority of us agree the flag should continue to stand for and represent. It's a beacon. A destination. A dream. You think kneeling in front of the flag means we are disrespecting the troops or those who died defending it? No. That is NOT the case. They sacrificed. They fought and bled and died for us to have our freedoms. We kneel because we aren’t worthy to stand on THEIR LEVEL. They gave it all so we could continue to be free, and we’re out here unable to treat each other with common decency. We should be on a knee, thinking real hard about how we are FAILING to honor the people who laid down their lives.
We are silly to think that we are at a place where we should feel worthy of standing in the shadow of that flag. We are nowhere near the flag right now, and if more people understood that, they'd be kneeling too. As much as the flag represents us, we must represent the flag. We kinda suck at that right now. The flag flies at half mast when the American people are hurting. It represents our pain and sorrow in a time of tragedy. It’s usually something we can’t control. The death of a great leader, a terrorist attack, a horrible accident. But right now WE should be flying at half mast. We’re hurting the American dream. We have the ability to control our actions, but so many of our actions have been ABHORRENT, especially from those who, on the surface, are meant to serve and protect. To lead by example, and promote peace and justice. It’s just as tragic. We like to talk about the weight that flag should have, and yeah, if it really is meant to represent how great our country should be, that is a lot of weight. But we are not carrying it well. We need to think. We need to regroup. And we need to rise as one.
But we’re not there yet.
So we kneel.
John Yurcaba is a biracial freelance artist and writer who has been studying storytelling since before he can remember. He grew up carrying a sketchbook with him everywhere he went, inspired by his favorite comics, tv shows, and films to create his own adventures. After finishing high school, he followed in the footsteps of his servicemember parents and grandparents and joined the US Air Force as a Radio and Television Broadcaster. He served as a videographer in the 1st Combat Camera Squadron, creating short form documentary films to tell the Air Force Story, and the stories of those he served with.
While on active duty he met his wife, Michelle, and after their enlistments ended, they moved to LA, where they continued to work in the film industry.
John currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona, where he continues to hone his craft. He recently completed his Associate’s Degree in Comic Book and Sequential Art, and has had his art displayed in the Phoenix Museum of Art, as well as featured at the 2019 Ghostbusters Fan Fest, and in the 2020 Ghostbusters Art Book from Printed in Blood and Insight Editions.
You can see more of his work at @johnyurcaba4 on instagram and twitter, or at his website, https://johnyurcabaiv.wixsite.com/arts