Arts Devo

This land is my land, too For most of his adult life, Arts DEVO has raised an American flag in front of his house on the 4th of July. I still do. Early on, I didn’t think too deeply on the practice. I enjoyed feeling part of a community, and walking my flag out to the bracket on my home was a warm tradition and a sign shared with neighbors that, whatever our differences, we are living this American experiment together.

However, beyond an earnest desire for connection, I do know how problematic blind flag-waving is. Patriotism that omits the violent, racist, classist history—and present—of the country that the flag represents can be dangerous.

Next week, when you’re celebrating the country’s independence, remember that, despite its preamble that states “all men are created equal,” when the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, the “all” in that sentence did not include black people, women or Native Americans. Another whole century passed before the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, and another century still before the Civil Rights Movement would begin the process of equal rights for blacks. Women didn’t have the right to vote until 1920. And as for the continent’s indigenous people—those referred to as “merciless Indian savages” in America’s founding document—the creation of this country meant the wholesale destruction of their various nations.

My point here is that America has never respectably realized the notions of freedom and liberty for all. Unarmed blacks are gunned down by police today. Women make less than men, by nearly 20 percent, today. The total income for the top 10 percent of Americans is more than nine times as much as the bottom 90 percent today. America is not so exceptional. And wrapping oneself in the flag and pointing a fat finger at all who disagree as being anti-American or fake or whatever is both delusional and antithetical to the kickass ideals to which this country aspires. I still love America. I celebrate it at its wild, free, beautiful best, and am willing to do my part to dismantle the machine at its exploitative, repressive, ugly worst.

As for the stars and stripes, why should the so-called “patriotic right” own it? I’m going to keep flying my flag—this year, the “In Our America” version that I ordered from Nasty Women Get Shit Done (nwgsd.org)—if for no other reason than to broaden the scope of what “American” means. The flag isn’t just embraced by doughy old white guys who stir up the gun-totin’ masses with racist rhetoric, it’s also represented by doughy middle-aged white guys who dig punk-rock music and welcome immigrants and applaud the bravery of those who, in the name of justice, take a knee in its presence.

Soon … It’s really happening—slowly, but for sure now. The 1078 Gallery is softly opening the doors at its new location at 1710 Park Ave. in August. The first, and currently only, item on the calendar is a Slow Theatre production of The Wolves, Aug. 2-5. The New York Times said “the scary, exhilarating brightness of raw adolescence emanates from every scene” in Sarah DeLappe’s Pulitzer Prize-nominated play focused on nine members of a high school girls soccer team. Still to be announced: another Slow Theatre show and a members art show/gallery grand opening. Go to facebook.com/1078gallery for updates.