Confederate and neo-Nazi imagery was easily identifiable at the Capitol riot. But it was the sight of a lesser-known, defunct Vietnamese flag that brought up painful questions about identity, trauma and the legacy of U.S. imperialism to those who recognized it. The yellow-and-red striped banner was carried by Vietnamese Americans, who, in support of President Donald Trump, have used the emblem to express nostalgia for a lost home and opposition to communism. But to those who see the flag as a symbol of democracy and unity, its presence at the riot was both alarming and infuriating. |