The Marine Corps has banned the Confederate battle flag from display in both public areas and work spaces at its installations.
In new guidance shared on Friday, the Marine Corps said the Confederate battle flag’s depiction via such things as bumper stickers, clothing, mugs, posters, and the flag itself are not allowed in public or work spaces.
“The Confederate battle flag has all too often been co-opted by violent extremist groups whose divisive beliefs have no place in our Corps,” the Marine Corps said in a statement shared on Twitter. “Our history as a nation, and events like the violence in Charlottesville in 2017, highlight the divisiveness the use of the Confederate battle flag has had on our society. This presents a threat to our core values, unit cohesion, security, and good order and discipline.”
As for the precise Confederate battle flag that is banned, a Marine Corps statement said it was referring to the flag carried by Confederate armies during the U.S. Civil War, especially the Army of Northern Virginia.
“The Confederate battle flag has various color schemes and configurations and is generally described as a flag with red or blue diagonal lines (also known as the heraldic symbol saltire) and white stripes,” the Marine Corps said in a statement.
The Marine Corps said it would remove any public display of the flag on its premises, and the authority to conduct inspections rests with unit commanders.
Today, the Marine Corps released guidance on the removal of public displays of the Confederate battle flag.
— U.S. Marines (@USMC) June 6, 2020
MARADMIN 331/20: https://t.co/WLW4m70LW1 pic.twitter.com/TKoYJUL7Vo
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.
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