I don't think you quite got to the right conclusion.
You're still talking about choosing different symbols to elevate, choosing between symbolic issues, worrying about attacking one symbol and allowing a different symbol or interpretation to rise up, and at that point it's still just rolling in the mud. Maybe a different part of the mud patch, but it's still just rolling in the mud.
That's not the way to win the contest. It plays into their strategy.
The way to win is to ignore all of this and focus on substance. Did Musk make a Nazi salute? Who cares! Let's talk about the actual content of executive orders released today. Let's talk about substance.
You're being drawn into their rabbit hole and fighting a complicated argument about interpretations of symbols, and that just distracts from talking about matters of solid fact that actually impact people substantially.