On Friday, the Pentagon introduced a new policy that will ban displays of the Confederate flag at military installations, in a note that avoids mentioning an explicit ban or the controversial flag itself.
“The flags are powerful symbols, particularly in the military community for whom the flags represent a common mission, common stories, and the special and timeless bond of warriors,” says the memo, obtained by Fox News.
EXPLORATION OF BANDS OF THE MARINE BODY OF THE CONFEDERED FLAG
The memorandum, signed by Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, lists the type of flags that can be displayed on military installations, including the American flag, the flags of military service, the flags of US states and territories, and the POW / MIA flag, as well as the flags of which the United States is a member, such as NATO.
The Confederate flag is not included on that list. The Associated Press, which obtained the memorandum for the first time, reported that the move was made in a way to ban it without angering or contradicting President Trump, who has defended the right to display it. However, a Defense Department official said it was to ensure that the policy was apolitical and that it could withstand a legal challenge.
“The flags we fly must be in accordance with the military imperatives of good order and discipline, treat all our people with dignity and respect, and reject divisive symbols,” the memo says.
Confederate flags, monuments, and the names of military bases have become a point of controversy for protesters and activists in the weeks after George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis.
CONFEDERATED MONUMENTS IN GETTYSBURG SPARK DEBATE AMONG HISTORIANS
In many parts of the country, state officials have torn down Confederate monuments and symbols of the Confederacy’s legacy of slavery. But since then, many activists have focused on attacking past figures and symbols from the history of the United States in general.
Trump has rejected the idea of changing the names of the base, and has defended the flight of the flag as a problem of freedom of expression.
“I know people who like the Confederate flag, and they don’t think about slavery,” Trump said in an interview with CBS News. “I look at NASCAR. You go to NASCAR. You had those flags all over the place. He was arrested. I just think it’s free speech, whether it’s Confederate flags or Black Lives Matter or anything else you want to talk about. It is freedom of expression. “
Esper’s note says that the display of unauthorized flags, such as the Confederate banner carried during the Civil War, is acceptable in museums, historical exhibits, works of art, or other educational programs.
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The Marine Corps has already banned the Confederate flag. General David Berger, the commander of the Marine Corps, ordered his commanders in early June to remove public displays of the Confederate battle flag. That flag, which some embrace as a symbol of inheritance, “has the power to inflame feelings of division” and can weaken the unity cohesion that combat requires, Berger said.
The other three military services moved to enact similar bans, but stopped when Esper made it known that he wanted a consistent policy across the department.
Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press of Fox News contributed to this report.
