the destruction of america's symbol

For years I’ve been irritated over the right wing’s hijacking of the American flag. I do understand that for many, particularly veterans, the flag is sacred, but for far too many I’ve felt that flag worshiping has been more of a case of “methinks thou doth protest too much.” Flags waving from car antennas, flags on clothes and ball caps, flags on golf bags, etc. The ultimate, of course, was Trump theatrically hugging the flag at his rallies. It seemed as if these people were proclaiming that they were more patriotic than the rest of us.
            Then came Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem. The right wing went nuts. “Shame!” read many memes on social media. Opinion pieces and conservative pundits proclaimed how Kaepernick’s act of protest against police brutality was an insult to the flag and to every person who ever fought for what the flag stands for. Forget the fact that it was a Green Beret friend of Kaepernick’s who suggested kneeling as a dignified way to protest without dishonoring the flag. Forget the fact that so many of these righteous right-wingers who trashed Kaepernick are just as comfortable showing the Confederate flag at their homes, on their cars, and on their clothes. For many blowhards, Kaepernick’s actions, and the subsequent actions of his allies, was proclaimed to be the last they would ever attend or watch an NFL game (which, of course, begs the question as to why a show of forced patriotic fervor was ever a pregame requirement in the first place).
            Then came January 6, 2021. The country and the world watched as Trump supporters carrying Trump and American flags stormed the Capitol in an attempt to overthrow what Trump’s own national security team in charge of monitoring the election called the most secure election in American history. That the American flag was used by the Trump insurrectionists to smash windows and physically beat Capitol Police was, to me, a disgusting, criminal, and traitorous blow to America’s once proud symbol. Now when I see someone taking pains to display the flag, whether on their clothes or in their social media memes, I can’t help but have a kind of visceral reaction as I wonder whether that person supported the flag-waving insurrection.
            I’m sure there will be those who will continue to believe that Kaepernick’s dignified and silent protest was every bit, if not more, disrespectful to the flag than beating a Capitol policeman with it in the name of a Trump insurrection, but it will take a long time for me to see an American flag not in an official setting without thinking about how it was used and abused on January 6 and why there was so little outcry from the right-wing about its utter debasement. All but six Republican senators don’t think the flag-waving attempt to overthrow the government is even worth investigating.
            The American flag is still a symbol, but what has it become a symbol of?