absolutely. as a child plrly during by tanl yeteenage years, an ambivalent feeling about being an american. i grew up with the sense this wasn t really our country to chaim. and that we had never been treat ed as full citizens. so my dad flying this flag in our yard, our house was kind of perpetually in disrepair, but that flag was also pristine and as soon as it got any tatter, my dad would take it down. ifls really embarrassed that he would so outwardly show patriotism for a country that i felt didn t treat black people as citizens. i just came to understand that our history in this country, black people s role in truly believing in our founding ideals and being willing to die again and again to make those true for all americans. there s no greater patriotism. and it s actually disrespectful to our ancestors not to claim this country and that flag and to be able to claim our legacy here on these lands. it says beautifully in print,