Marquette professor claims US flag instills fear, anxiety.

A Different Perspective on the American Flag

A professor at Marquette University recently shared his thoughts on the American flag, revealing a complex mix of emotions and experiences. Dr. Grant Silva, an associate professor of philosophy, admitted to feeling “anxious” when he sees the flag, citing concerns about the blurred line between patriotism and nationalism.

“Especially the simplistic version of patriotism, the flag waving, my country love it or leave it kind of attitude. That is just a hop, skip and a jump away from becoming nationalism,” he said.

For Silva, the American flag holds a different meaning for people of color. He recounted a personal experience of encountering intense displays of patriotism while traveling with his family, including disturbing stickers that depicted immigrants as targets.

“That kind of imagery, pointing a gun at these individuals, and I remember thinking as a Mexican American, how safe am I in this particular gas station when this signage like this — these are stickers being sold, right?” Silva shared.

These experiences have shaped the view of the American flag for many nonwhite individuals, transforming it from a symbol of hope and freedom into a source of fear and exclusion.

“As much as I would like to see the flag displayed in a proud manner, it all too quickly takes on the stakes that, as a non-white person, can mean a lot, right? It can mean a sense of inclusion or exclusion,” Silva explained.

Teran Powell, the author of the article featuring Silva’s interview, echoed his sentiments, drawing from her own experiences as a black woman.

“Especially considering the growth in extremism post-Trump-presidency and those extremists using the American Flag against people of color to say they’re the real Americans,” Powell wrote.

Powell shared a personal anecdote of feeling uneasy when encountering American flags in a town during a road trip.

“And both of us were like, ‘Yeah, we need to hurry up and leave.’ And I thought about it like, ‘Why did we feel like that?'” she questioned.

These perspectives on the American flag are not new. People of color often feel the pressure to assimilate and sacrifice their cultural heritage to be seen as true Americans, Powell explained.

It is important to recognize and understand these diverse viewpoints when discussing symbols that hold different meanings for different individuals.