The Thin Blue Line Flag and the Basque Lauburu; What Won’t We Cancel?

We live in interesting times, times where anyone can co-opt any symbol and cancel culture can rule.?Recently LAPD Chief of Police Michel Moore banned having the Thin Blue Line Flag displayed in their police department/precinct lobbies after a citizen complained.?Chief Moore stated, “The flag, to me, presents the honor, valor, dedication and sacrifice of LE to protect our communities, but that view is not universally held.” ?He went on to explain it was unfortunate that other groups had hijacked the flag for their racist, bigoted and extremist views.?In other words, we are surrendering to the bad guys.

I have met and respect Chief Moore, who by the way is also an American of Basque descent like myself.?But this is a situation where I absolutely disagree with him.?There are groups who will tell you they believe the flag of the United States is a symbol of racism; so, do we quit flying the American Flag.?Hell No!?We have a responsibility to fight for what these flags actually represent; not what special interest groups want them to represent.?Not displaying the flag will not appease these groups or bring them to support us.?Only good policing can do that and even then, some of these groups are not going to support us or our mission.?What it does do is assist them chip away at our very fabric just a little more.

I am sure Chief Moore is familiar with the Lauburu or the Basque Cross.?It is a beautiful symbol worn by Basque people throughout the world.?I have had people ask me if, I have ever been confronted by someone who believes it looks too much like a swastika.?My answer has always been no, but they claim this has happened to them ?or they are afraid their child may face such a confrontation.?My response is always the same, explain to people the meaning of the Lauburu.?Educate people on the fact, the Basque people were bombed by the nazis and persecuted by the fascists leading up to WWII. ?If they don’t accept your explanation, it is their loss.?We can not fix ignorance or educate those who do not wish to be educated.

We live in a world where everyone is offended by something, but I will say we need to stand on our morals and values and quit letting people dictate to us , what we should believe.?Should we be open-minded, Yes!?We need to listen and learn, but we do not have to bend at every whim.?There are things which are truly offensive, but we cannot be offended by everything.?There are people who CHOOSE to be offended by anything and everything.

We had an anonymous internet group on 4chan (operation O-KKK) turn the OK sign into a symbol for white power as a hoax; the media and others bought into it and then the racists happily adopted it.?So, no more giving the OK sign in video games like Medal of Honor or playing the circle game.?It’s off-limits regardless of its origins; we can no longer use it without being accused of racism.

Now comes the attack on the Thin Blue Line Flag.?Some idiots carried it at a variety of white nationalist events and were carrying it at the January 6, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol.?So, we now have people who want to claim it is a symbol of racism.?Guess what else some of these people were carrying the American Flag, some were wearing Nike, Adidas, 511, Eddie Bauer etc.?Are all of these items a symbol of racism??You are probably saying to yourself NO and you would be correct.

The Thin Blue Line symbolizes freedom, tolerance, justice, equality and the line between a lawful society and chaos.?The Thin Blue Line Flag is about as racist as the Lauburu.?Get over yourselves, we cannot control what offends you, but we sure can defend what is right and just. My father, an immigrant, who came from a country where he was not allowed to speak his native language, survived the bombing of Gernika, loves policing in this country and what the Thin Blue Line really represents.?I will never let them take that from me.?Policing is the most noble profession in the world, don’t let them take that from us.

Author:?Tracy Basterrechea is a twenty-six (26) year law enforcement officer, a police use of force instructor, and an instructor for Gulla’s Arrestling.?He also holds a Blackbelts in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Kodokan Judo, as well as an associate instructor in Jeet Kune Do/Filipino Kali