Marine Corps prohibit the public display of the Confederate Flag
The new command is intended for "immediate execution," according to the New York Times.
By ZACHARY KEYSERSupporters of Confederate statues and symbols in Lexington, Virginia(photo credit: REUTERS)
General David H. Berger of the United States Marine Corps has prohibited the public display of the Confederate Flag by Marine Corps members, claiming it serves as an emblem with the "power to inflame feeling of division," according to the New York Times.The ban is not intended to darken the views or values of Marines who wish to connect with the flag publicly, but more so to create “a uniquely capable warfighting team whose members come from all walks of life.”He asked Marines to instead center on the emblems that are intended to cement them together as one, such as the eagle, the anchor and the globe.“I am mindful that many people believe that flag to be a symbol of heritage and regional pride,” Gen. Berger states in a letter to fellow Marines. “But I am also mindful of the feelings of pain and rejection of those who inherited the cultural memory and present effects of the scourge of slavery in our country.”The Marine Corps already have standing regulations that ban the public display of emblems and symbols that can be viewed as hate speech. It was not emphasized if these prohibitions will be applied to personal clothing and vehicles Marine Corps members possess off-base and off-duty.The Confederate flag holds the “power to inflame feelings of division,” Gen. Berger said, according to the New York Times. “I cannot have that division inside our Corps.”The new command is intended for "immediate execution."
