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'Captain America' creator's son slams clueless Capitol rioters who used his symbol

@THR/Twitter, @Ameba_MN/Twitter, Jake Tapper/Twitter

While many of us know Captain America from the current Marvel Cinematic Universe movies starring Chris Evans, the superhero character has been an iconic comic book character for 79 years.

A superhero with the name "Captain America" who wears a red, white, and blue uniform and fights for freedom naturally invokes a sense of patriotism. However, not everyone who considers themselves a "patriot" can truly claim the title.

The son of one of Captain America's co-creators has some harsh words for those who have co-opted Captain America symbolism in their support of Donald Trump and the storming of the Capitol by his followers. Neal Kirby, the son of Jack Kirby, who created the character with Joe Simon in 1941, aimed his message directly at the rioters.

— (@)

In his "Statement to Insurrectionists," shared on Twitter by Jake Tapper, Kirby wrote:

"My father, Jack Kirby, along with this partner Joe Simon, created Captain America in 1941. Perhaps the most iconic symbol of patriotism since the 'Spirit of 1776', Captain America has stood as a symbol and protector of our democracy and the rule of law for the past 79 years. He was created by two Jewish guys from New York who hated Nazis and hated bullies. Captain America stood up for the underdog, and, as the story was written, even before he gained his strength and prowess from Army scientists, always stood for what was righteous, and never backed down.

At 72, I have a fairly vivid personal memory of every political and cultural upheaval since Castro's revolution in the mid-1950s. Add to that my father's stories, and I could probably paint a picture of the battlefields of northern France surrounding the city of Metz in WWII as well. However, the events that transpired at our nation's Capitol on Jan. 6, an insurrection inspired and fomented by our own president, will be the event that haunts me forever.

— (@)

While watching one of the horrific videos of the storming of the Capitol, I thought I noticed someone in a Trump/Capt. America t-shirt! I was appalled and mortified. I believe I even caught a quick glance of someone with a Captain America shield. A quick Google search turned up Trump as Captain America on T-shirts, posters, even a flag! These images are disgusting and disgraceful. Captain America is the absolute antithesis of Donald Trump. Where Captain America is selfless, Trump is self-serving. Where Captain America fights for our country and democracy, Trump fights for personal power and autocracy. Where Captain America stands with the common man, Trump stands with the powerful and privileged. Where Captain America is courageous, Trump is a coward. Captain America and Trump couldn't be more different.

My father, Jack Kirby, and Joe Simon, the creators of Captain America and WWII veterans, would be absolutely sickened by these images. These images are an insult to both their memories.

If Donald Trump had the qualities and character of Captain America, the White House would be a shining symbol of truth and integrity, not a festering cesspool of lies and hypocrisy.

Several of our presidents held the same values as Captain America. Donald Trump is not one of them."

— (@)

There you have it. It should be pretty obvious that if you're marching alongside actual Nazis you don't get to use Captain America as a symbol for your movement, but it's helpful to hear it straight from the source anyway.

From Your Site Articles

Making the park experience more accessible to people who use ASL has been a long-term goal.

A viral video of Captain America having a sign language conversation with a Disneyland guest is melting hearts across the internet.

One of the sweetest moments I've ever seen. Quit making me fall in love with you. 💜
A post shared by jade (@xoxogossipjew) on Jun 29, 2016 at 2:59pm PDT

The video — originally posted June 29, 2016, by a woman named Jade Wilson — shows a guest telling Captain America that he's from Boston, and Cap responding by saying that he's working on his American Sign Language skills, but is a bit of a slow learner.

The exchange was exactly the type of heartwarming, magical experience Disney aims to deliver.

Since 2010, Disney has worked to make its parks more friendly and accessible to deaf people.

For those who communicate via ASL (not all deaf or hard-of-hearing people do), it can make their trip to the park even better.

In 2016, Disney even produced a video highlighting one family's trip to Florida's Disney World with their daughter, Shaylee, who uses ASL to communicate. As if meeting Tinkerbell wasn't exciting enough, Shaylee was ecstatic when Tink introduced herself in sign language.

[rebelmouse-image 19530889 dam="1" original_size="450x222" caption="GIF from Disney Parks/YouTube." expand=1]GIF from Disney Parks/YouTube.

Disney's decision to create an inclusive experience for guests with disabilities isn't just the right thing to do, it's good for their bottom line.

Businesses have long argued that increased accommodations for customers with disability come at an excessive or unnecessary cost. The response to the Captain America video shows how wrong that thinking is.

Creating an experience that accommodates the needs of all isn't an unnecessary expense. It's a good investment.

Disability advocate David Perry explains via email:

"The response to Captain America doing ASL shows that committing to accessibility pays off, not just in serving customers with disabilities — though that's most important — but also in making people just generally feel welcome. My son, who has Down syndrome, doesn't need sign language. But knowing that Captain America is out there makes me feel more confident that Disneyland will meet his needs too."

Every Disney guest deserves the opportunity to have the same sort of magical experience at the parks, and access for people with disabilities shouldn't be treated as some sort of bonus. Stories like these are a powerful reminder that doing the right thing can pay off, and that's why it's so important to share them when we see them.

Way to go, Cap.

[rebelmouse-image 19530890 dam="1" original_size="500x500" caption="GIF from Marvel Entertainment/YouTube." expand=1]GIF from Marvel Entertainment/YouTube.

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The first time Lan Diep ran for San Jose City Council, he says, he lost by 13 votes. The next time around, he won by 12.

All photos via Lan Diep, used with permission.

Diep, who is the son of Vietnamese political refugees and a Republican, is used to things not coming easy. He spent years as a civil legal aid, fighting back-breaking cases for little payout, and battling on behalf of low-income workers with the Vietnamese American Workers' Rights Project.

So when he finally earned a seat on the city council, he had more on his mind than doing the Republican Party proud.

He was there to represent everyday Americans.

Before attending his first council meeting, Diep took the oath of the office. He brought a special prop with him to symbolize his mission: Captain America's shield.

The clip of Diep, who is a self-proclaimed comic book nerd, being sworn in while holding the shield of Captain America went viral and has made its way far beyond the city limits of San Jose, California.

In it, he vows to defend the U.S. Constitution and to protect its people from "enemies, both foreign and domestic."

His peers grin in the background, and as the swearing-in comes to a close, the room erupts in applause.

Diep held the shield proudly while taking the oath.

While Diep mostly brought the shield to create a lighthearted moment, he admits that as a hero, Captain America is deeply meaningful to him.

"Captain America is a guy from World War II living in the modern world. He has this set of morals and beliefs that he believes represents the heart of America," Diep says — things like justice, equality, and fair play. "He doesn't serve any administration or president."

It's no secret that many of today's GOP leaders are failing miserably at the simple promises they've all, like Diep, sworn to uphold.

Though Diep is a Republican, he doesn't see party affiliation as a part of his job.

"I'm not going to close my eyes and just vote down the ticket," he says. "I'm more concerned about the person holding the office and the temperament of that person to reach out to people who don't agree with them and work together."

Today, it sounds radical. but that's exactly the simple idea America was built on.

When it comes to his own city of San Jose, Diep says there's plenty of work ahead of him.

"There's going to be a lot happening under this administration in terms of immigration," he says. "I look forward to addressing those issues as they arise from the federal level to make sure our residents are safe."

Diep represents the next generation of Republicans. He proves you can believe in smaller government and fiscally conservative policy without being a racist, xenophobic hate-monger.

It may be a low bar to clear, but that's exactly the kind of hero we all need right now.

Watch Lan get sworn in here, using a surprisingly good superhero voice, to boot:

From Your Site Articles

'Captain America' creator's son slams clueless Capitol rioters who used his symbol - Upworthy ›

captain america

'Captain America' creator's son slams clueless Capitol rioters who used his symbol

Watch this Disneyland visitor's joy when Captain America joins him in sign language.

Making the park experience more accessible to people who use ASL has been a long-term goal.

A viral video of Captain America having a sign language conversation with a Disneyland guest is melting hearts across the internet.

Since 2010, Disney has worked to make its parks more friendly and accessible to deaf people.

Disney's decision to create an inclusive experience for guests with disabilities isn't just the right thing to do, it's good for their bottom line.

A Republican paid homage to Captain America to send a powerful message.

The first time Lan Diep ran for San Jose City Council, he says, he lost by 13 votes. The next time around, he won by 12.

Before attending his first council meeting, Diep took the oath of the office. He brought a special prop with him to symbolize his mission: Captain America's shield.

While Diep mostly brought the shield to create a lighthearted moment, he admits that as a hero, Captain America is deeply meaningful to him.

When it comes to his own city of San Jose, Diep says there's plenty of work ahead of him.

Watch Lan get sworn in here, using a surprisingly good superhero voice, to boot:

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