A United States Army veteran and FedEx driver who attained viral fame recently when he was filmed putting an abrupt end to an American flag burning attempt in Iowa City (of which you can view below) has spoken to the press about the incident, and unsurprisingly, his sentiments are chock full of humility.
Matthew Uhrin, a Cedar Rapids native and soldier for eight years, claims he was just doing what he felt was right.
“I don’t feel like I deserve the praise. I never wanted it. It’s just humbling, you know,” he told a reporter for KCRG-TV9).
Uhrin was going about his delivery duties with the popular parcel service last Thursday when he saw a group of individuals — who later claimed to be protesting “Republican values” and the Dakota Access pipeline — trying to set Old Glory ablaze in one of the town’s squares.
So, he did something about it.
“It really hurts when you see it disgraced and I think that’s why everyone loves it the way that they do, and that’s why I love it.”
In the brief interview, he also made it clear as to how he defines the word “hero.” Unequivocally, to him, the term should only be thrown around when describing those brave men and women who make the most extreme sacrifices.
“Each person has their own reason why they signed the dotted line. The ones that are really the heroes are the ones that are maimed, killed that never get to see home again,” he said.
“They’re the real heroes.”
While it’s not illegal to burn the flag, it is unlawful to burn certain things in certain public spaces in Iowa City. For this reason, two were arrested for “open burning” in the wake of this incident. The crime is classified as a simple misdemeanor.