We need a really succinct way to say: “I do not identify with America because it does not uphold the values it professes.” The problem is that those are two ideas at once. If you only say the first, you’ve got something like an upside down flag, which reads to people as a rejection of what America is supposed to be. On the other hand, if you simply espouse “freedom” and “democracy” then you’re likely to be mistaken for a patriot.
The subway signs are attempting something in this vein. They’re saying “I feel threatened by our protectors—your police are my crooks.” I’d like to broaden that into an indictment of society as a whole, and then condense it into a clever symbol or slogan.
