We're right over the target with this one.

What does the flag represent? What is the United States?

Those made uncomfortable by the flag feel abused. They feel that "the United States" has crushed them, kept them down, imprisoned them, and disrespected them. On a derivative level, many college students were taught these things were happening to other groups, so they hate the flag as an act of empathy with those groups that they believe the United States stands against.

I find their logic weak because of the examples they hold up as "them":

First group, illegal immigrants. The US haters say that the US is racist for not allowing anyone who wants, to cross the border at will. Question for these people, do you really think there should be no borders? You're saying all people of all countries have the rights of the citizens of the United States, to be enforced by the United States? Not surprisingly, these are the same people who believe in the forever wars, always on the basis of "human rights". Rather than live in peace as an example to nations everywhere of how to do so, these people want us to go kill people everywhere for "justice".

Second group, BLM. The examples cited by BLM as "injustice" always involve individuals who have made choices. The United States did not tell George Floyd to take the drugs he took that night, to point the gun at the pregnant woman at whom he did earlier in his life. The people in the cafes that BLM intimidates did not go into black neighborhoods and harass them, frighten them and force speech from them. They blame anyone but themselves for their position in the world, but hint: when you yell at people that they are evil and you are superior to them for your victim status, not everyone is going to take that kindly.

Third group, transgender. The United States was designed with the premise that all people are created equal in the eyes of God. But guess what? Male and Female are biological. The United States didn't create that, and the United States has no ability to undo that. We are born as we are born, and the idea that we as a society have some duty to undo what nature -not us - has done is frankly counter-reality, making it delusional. You're fighting the entire history of life on earth, which includes sexual separation among the overwhelming majority of that life. Leave us the hell out of it. We can't change it even if we want to, and I personally see no reason to. Natural sexual separation has existed for millions of years. There is no greater example of fighting the tides.

If these are the groups who are made ucomfortable by the flag, I am not convinced. The United States, while far from perfect, has given untold individual opportunities to people of all colors, all orientations, and all backgrounds. Those who oppose the entire concept are so blinded by their ideology they cannot see their wounds are self-inflicted. Rather than try to impose some arbitrary notion of "justice" on the world, how about going peacefully into life and trying to serve the actual individuals around you (of whatever color, religion, orientation, etc. you choose) with the skills you possess? Nowhere in the world will allow you more freedom to do precisely this than the United States. Again, not perfect. There are untold examples where you will run into assholes making your life impossible. But relative to the rest of the world? Try it in other countries and report back. You'll discover this flag has a lot to offer.

As much of a mess as we are, I'll stand proudly for the history this flag represents. It's way better than the alternative I see being proposed in its place. It's not even close.