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Anthony Mackie Backtracks After Trying To Take the ‘America’ Out of ‘Captain America'

By Andrew Sanford | News | January 29, 2025 |

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Header Image Source: Photo by Massimo Insabato/Archivio Massimo Insabato/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images

DC Comics changed Superman’s motto from “Truth, Justice and The American Way” to “Truth, Justice and a Better World” about four years ago. You may be surprised to hear this, but a bunch of people lost their f***ing minds over it. To them, saying you stand for everyone instead of just one country was “anti-American.” It wasn’t even the first time people freaked out over Superman dropping the catchphrase, as he had already done that ten years prior. Toying with the ideals that Superman represents is not new, and it’s important.

“Truth, Justice, and the American Way” came from Superman’s radio show (like many aspects of his mythos). That radio show aired during World War II, and at war that is easy to justify. We were fighting a real, recognizable evil. Superman was supporting our troops and our way of life. That has gotten harder to do in all of the years since. And hell, the catchphrase originated before the Civil Rights Act of 1965. We sure as s*** weren’t perfect, no matter who we were fighting.

Another hero who was incredibly popular during World War II was Captain America. Why wouldn’t he be? He was clad in red, white, and blue and punching Hitler on comic book covers. While Superman highlighted America’s ideals, Captain America did that and was draped in the f***ing flag. There’s no reason for him to be anything but a full-fledged, never-questioning, loud and proud American. Except for the fact the character has existed for 85 years and is frequently written by different writers with their own ideals. Also, America has changed quite a bit in those 85 years and Cap isn’t a tool of Government propaganda, even if some people want him to be.

Captain America is often struggling with the America he lives in today. He’s a man out of time, thawed years after the “just” war for which he was the mascot (depending on what era you’re reading or watching). Some of his best stories involve him questioning what he’s fighting for, and what his country is too. It only makes sense that the man playing him (a Black man, no less) would have similar issues. Anthony Mackie spoke about those issues recently. “To me, Captain America represents a lot of different things and I don’t think the term ‘America’ should be one of those representations,” Mackie noted during an interview in Italy. “It’s about a man who keeps his word, who has honor, dignity, and integrity. Someone who is trustworthy and dependable.” Spoiler alert, people did not like that Mackie said these things.

I didn’t dive too deeply into the backlash over Mackie’s comments. Horrific, racist nonsense was already being spewed about the actor simply because he was donning the Stars and Stripes. I can only assume the people who were upset about him being Black jumped at the chance to call him anti-American and I don’t need to read that s***. What I do know is that Mackie took to Instagram to explain himself. “Let me be clear about this, I’m a proud American and taking on the shield of a hero like CAP is the honor of a lifetime,” Mackie wrote. “I have the utmost respect for those who serve and have served our country.” Nothing wrong with that. It feels kind of general, but I get why he did it. It’s the next part that stands out.

“CAP has universal characteristics that people all over the world can relate to,” Mackie wrote. That really gets at the heart of all of this. Despite his name, Captain America is not reserved for this country. He represents ideals that are universal and that America once claimed to prioritize. Acting like that is still the case is silly at best and willfully ignorant at worst. But god forbid someone try to start that conversation. Doing so while promoting a new Captain America film sounds like something Cap would do (if you ask me).