The U.S. Marine Corps have released guidance on the removal of public displays of the Confederate battle flag.
According to a Marine Administrative Message (MARADMIN), Marine Corps commanders will have to identify and remove the display of the Confederate battle flag or its depiction within workplaces, common-access areas, and public areas on their installations.
Exceptions to the directive include displays where the confederate battle flag is depicted, but not the main focus of the display. For example, works of art, educational, or historical displays depicting a civil war battle where the confederate battle flag is present, but not the main focus of the work.
State flags which incorporate the confederate battle flag, state issued license plates with a depiction of the confederate battle flag, and Confederate soldiers’ grave sites are also exceptions.
The directive will also not apply to the National Museum of the Marine Corps (NMMC), or the Museums at MCRD San Diego, MCRD Parris Island.
Commanders must apply their best judgment as it would be “impossible to specify every possible exception” to the directive.
"The Confederate battle flag has all too often been co-opted by violent extremist and racists groups whose divisive beliefs have no place in our Corps. 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 in our society," the Marine announcement said. "The Marine Corps shall remove the confederate battle flag from all installation public spaces and work areas in order to support our core values, ensure unit cohesion and security, and preserve good order and discipline."
Today, the Marine Corps released guidance on the removal of public displays of the Confederate battle flag.
MARADMIN 331/20: https://t.co/WLW4m70LW1 pic.twitter.com/TKoYJUL7Vo
— U.S. Marines (@USMC) June 6, 2020
