F150 was only referenced as OP posted a F150 tag. Im refering to trucks and utility vehicles in general. You hyper focused on a single aspect there unfortunately and mis-understood my statement as a whole. Though i likely could have expanded on that thought a bit better.
But lets be real for a second and put personal anecdotes aside; trucks and utility vehicles are marketed to blue collar trades folk and labours.
Marketing for money based on target a wide variety of audiances that the companies what to appeal too.
Trucks abd the like tend to be more appealing to the blue collar work force. Which in the US, your blue collar work force seems to lean more to the conservative side of the political spectrum. Your military is massive comparatively to most places, which bleeds into your culture. And finally some people just like the astetic mixed with USA pride aspect of it.
Correlation doesn't imply causation. So it could be them supporting the south in the civil war or it could be because they just like a black or blue chrome or w.e american flag that matches their vehicles paint job.
It's a mix of possible reasons and not eveyone who's patriotic is an asshole driver. You'll have to ask the people being assholes with the flag next time what their personal message about a cosmetic peice is.
Then im wrong. Up here in Canada, when i go to a site for work (mainly mines, farms, and grain/feed elevators) we don't see people rolling up in prius', kia souls and honda civics. It's all f150s, tundras and 1500s loaded with equipment. I know thats anecdotal experience, but we also constantly are bombarded by marketing towards our blue collar trades people. Most of these people leam conservative politically. Most of us make really good wages. So that's been my perspective.
Now im not saying trades workers and labours are their only marketing audiance, im saying its part of a wide array of audiences they try and market to.
I think the issue with the OP is equating specifically truck and utility vehicle owners to the flag styles = douche bag drivers. When the flag could be on any vehicle. While theres plenty of douche bag drivers in other vehicle's.
Are there racists that use the flag as a statement, yes. Are there veteran's who use is mourning in remembrance for fallen service members, yes. Are there people who just buy shit because they like USA and the color "looks cool",yes. Now again, im not even from the USA, this is just whats projected out to us, and what information we have.
It really comes down to the individual who has the flag, and what it represents to them. One would need to ask the individual the "why", which didn't happen in OPs original post pre-edits.
But we'll just have to agree to disagree on tradies and labours being one of the target demographics for truck/utility vehicle marketing.
Thanks for your addtional perspective on the topic buddy.