The Pentagon decides to continue Trump's ban on Pride flags in military

[left-of-center2012]

The Department of Defense says it has decided to maintain a Trump ban on Pride flags as enacted by the Trump administration last year. The decision, which was announced just days after the Pentagon decided to review the policies as enacted by the administration, is a surprise considering that President Joe Biden pledged last year to undo the policy if he was elected. The announcement that the Defense Department won’t join other branches of the federal government, such as the State Department, in embracing Pride and allowing Pride flags, came as a surprise. John F. Kirby, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs and a retired Navy Rear Admiral, stated that “After some careful consideration,” the Pentagon “will maintain existing policy for… the display or depiction of unofficial flags” as to not create “other challenges,” and “there won’t be an exception made this month for the Pride flag.”

He added that this was
Secretary Austin’s decision made specifically in light of Pride Month,
but was not an “official” policy review. “Knowing that the month of June was approaching, we wanted to do due diligence and take a look at the old policy and see if we felt it was still applicable,” Kirby said. Apparently, Defense officials did find that it was still best. That decision “[does not] in any way reflect on the respect and admiration we feel for all our LGBTQ+ personnel in and out of uniform,” he claimed.

“We were shocked to learn DOD’s (Department of Defense) new policy on the public display of flags bans the Rainbow Pride Flag from DOD workplaces,” Rudy Coots, president of affinity group DOD Pride said. “It’s another statement that our service isn’t as important as everyone else’s… it’s a small thing that matters especially during Pride month,” Jennifer Dane, the CEO of the Modern Military Association of America, said in a statement to CNN. Dane added the Pride flag is a symbol of “diversity and inclusion — exactly what the Department of Defense should be striving for.”

Despite the decision, Kirby said that Secretary Austin will participate in Defense Department Pride events and “encourages all commands to likewise find ways to recognize the service and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community in defense of this nation.”

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2021/06/department-defense-going-continue-trump-administrations-ban-pride-flags/

[left-of-center2012]

1. Presidential candidate Biden said ...

Presidential candidate Biden said in a tweet, “Banning the LGBTQ Pride flag — the very symbol of diversity and inclusion — is undeniably wrong.
The Pentagon should ensure it is authorized, or as President, I will.”

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2021/06/department-defense-going-continue-trump-administrations-ban-pride-flags/

[spanone]

2. 👎🏼 sad.

[Mad_Machine76]

3. Disappointing

but I assume that Biden can overrule this decision if so desired. I hope that he does. The reasoning given by the DOD is weak sauce IMHO

[Darwins_Retriever]

4. Sure he can, if he wants to lose in court

Can DoD ban the pride flag and other unofficial flags? Sure they can, to include the confederate, Trump, and any unofficia flag. Let's say a Southern Army post flies a confederate flag to celebrate Lee's birthday. If Austin permits any unofficial flag to be flown, he has to permit the con. Flag to be flown.

[JHB]

5. I was (briefly) a midshipman at the US Naval Academy, and something like that happened.

A new officer had been assigned to administrate the section my company was part of. After an inspection by him, an order came down that only the US flag could be displayed in midshipman quarters, with the exception that foreign nationals could display the flag of their home country.

The best guess as to why this change came down was because one upperclassman (that I knew of, might have been others I didn't know about) had a Confederate flag hung up in his room. The rule change meant it had to come down.

[Mad_Machine76]

8. Well........

I guess that makes some sense. Although I feel like there are maybe some distinguishing features between flags meant to represent LGBTQ soldiers/citizens and flags that represent traitors and cult figures. But I get it. That's probably not Trump's reasoning for banning it in the first place though.

[uponit7771]

6. Hmmm, does the military have bans on other flags like BLM or Back the Blue? tia

[zipplewrath]

7. Confederate

There are bans on several different right wing banners. I'm fairly certain this is a consequence of trying to control that kind of display.