I’ll have to look up my OLD flag book, but IIRC it simply states “distress”. Not “physical danger” or any real specifics. Now, I always interpreted that as severe political danger, as in they’re taking over NOW.
So my view has been it’s simply perhaps too glibly used to indicate some kind of distress. Indeed this is minor and so should really not be used for personal “danger” calls. But Idont necessarily see it as the equal of tearing down the flag and stomping it into the ground, or burning, etc. as I stated it’s maybe about the same level as constantly lowering the flag which is done far too much nowadays by people in power.
Traditionally, displaying the flag inverted was always used to signify a request for aid in the face of actual physical danger, such as a ship sinking or an attack by hostile forces. I think there was a more rigorous definition of distress in those days, not just unhappiness with the political situation. Why would it ever have become customary to use the flag to protest against itself? There are other ways to express political dissatisfaction.
I believe that the flag should not be flown upside down unless the situation is such that a person would also call 911 if possible.
I agree that as forms of disrespect go, improper display is one of the milder ones, but it’s still disrespectful. I also agree that lowering the flag to half-staff is done for trivialities much of the time now.