总统唐纳德·特朗普在军方发表声明称高级军事领导人对讨论持“开放”态度的一天后，他的政府“甚至不会考虑”重新命名最初以邦联领导人命名的军事基地。
“有人建议，我们应该重新命名多达10个传奇军事基地，如北卡罗来纳州的布拉格堡、得克萨斯州的胡德堡、佐治亚州的本宁堡等。这些巨大而强大的基地已经成为美国伟大传统的一部分，成为胜利、胜利和自由的历史，”总统周三在推特上写道。
“美利坚合众国在这些圣地训练和部署了我们的英雄，并赢得了两次世界大战，”特朗普继续说道。“因此，我的政府甚至不会考虑重新命名这些宏伟和虚构的军事设施。我们作为世界上最伟大的国家的历史不会被篡改。尊重我们的军队!”
...胜利、胜利和自由的历史。美利坚合众国在这些圣地训练和部署了我们的英雄，并赢得了两次世界大战。因此，我的政府甚至不会考虑重新命名这些宏伟和虚构的军事设施...
——唐纳德·特朗普(@realDonaldTrump)2020年6月10日
...我们作为世界上最伟大的国家的历史不会被篡改。尊重我们的军队!
——唐纳德·特朗普(@realDonaldTrump)2020年6月10日
在周一的一份声明中，一名陆军发言人表示，国防部长马克·埃斯珀和陆军部长瑞安·麦卡锡对重新命名基地的问题“持开放态度”。
undefined更多:空军领导人慷慨激昂的推文引发了关于美国种族主义的坦率对话:“我是乔治·弗洛伊德”
周三，当被问及特朗普的推文时，军方媒体关系部门表示，“目前没有什么可补充的。”
有10个陆军设施，包括弗吉尼亚州的李堡和阿普希尔堡，以内战时期南方联盟领导人的名字命名。多年来，批评者告诉军方，早就该改变了——这些名字提升了为白人至上和拥有奴隶权利而战的人们的地位。
在这张2014年9月26日的档案照片中，在北卡罗来纳州的费耶特维尔可以看到布拉格堡的标志
在这张2014年9月26日的档案照片中，在北卡罗来纳州的费耶特维尔可以看到布拉格堡的标志克里斯·基恩/路透社
但是就在最近的二月，军队说它“没有计划给任何街道或设施重新命名”，称“重要的是要注意，设施和街道的命名是本着和解的精神，而不是为了表明对任何特定事业或意识形态的支持”
“军队有一个以具有军事意义的历史人物命名设施和街道的传统，包括前联邦和邦联将军，”声明当时说。
一名官员告诉美国广播公司新闻，乔治·弗洛伊德于5月25日在明尼阿波利斯警察局被拘留期间死亡，以及随后针对美国警察暴行和种族不平等的抗议，导致国防部领导人改变了先前的立场，并表明对重新命名基地的对话持开放态度。同时，全国各地的城市选择移除邦联雕像。
2020年6月8日，弗吉尼亚州里士满，弗吉尼亚州总务厅的一名检查人员在纪念碑大道上检查邦联将军罗伯特·李的雕像时进行测量
2020年6月8日，弗吉尼亚州里士满，弗吉尼亚州总务厅的一名检查人员在纪念碑大道上检查邦联将军罗伯特·李的雕像时进行测量史蒂夫·海尔伯/美联社
康涅狄格州参议员理查德·布卢门塔尔(Richard Blumenthal)周二对记者表示，他支持改变“带有种族内涵并暗示我们社会中持续存在种族主义”的名称
“军队实际上是我们国家在整合和避免歧视方面最成功的机构之一，”参议院军事委员会成员布卢门塔尔说。“因此，给这些基地重新命名对于军方来说是非常非常合适的，因为他们认识到了它所取得的进步——比我们社会的许多其他部门都要进步。我希望国防部长实际上会考虑它。”
undefined更多:关于保护唐纳德·特朗普免受抗议的特种部队的问题
美国广播公司新闻撰稿人、前国防部副助理部长、退役海军陆战队队员米克·马尔罗伊建议，美国陆军可以根据这些州的荣誉勋章获得者来重新命名其基地。马尔罗伊在佐治亚州的戈登堡附近长大，以反对重建的南方联盟将军约翰·布朗·戈登的名字命名据信导致了三k党的一部分。
“自内战结束以来，据我统计，格鲁吉亚已经颁发了近30枚荣誉勋章，”马尔罗伊说。"我会从那里开始，然后进行下一个安装."
“虽然内战应该作为我们历史的一部分被铭记，但这应该在博物馆里由历史学家来完成，”他补充道。“美国士兵应该在以为我们国家牺牲和战斗的英雄命名的基地服役，而不是对抗它。”
但是周三在白宫，新闻秘书凯丽·麦克纳尼重申，总统确实“强烈反对对我们的堡垒重新命名”
她说:“布拉格堡因其训练有素的英雄而闻名，从那里出发的英雄，对离开那里的男男女女说这是一种侮辱，他们出国前在美国土地上看到的最后一件事，在某些情况下，他们冒着生命危险告诉他们，因为这个名字，他们离开的地方本质上是一个种族主义机构。”。"这是总统所不能接受的。"
弗洛伊德的死也引发了一场关于邦联用品展示在基地。早在二月份，海军陆战队司令大卫·伯杰将军就禁止海军陆战队设施使用邦联标志，包括邦联旗帜，笔迹他们有“煽动分裂情绪的力量”
undefined更多:美国海军陆战队发布禁止邦联战旗的细节
周一，伊利诺伊州参议员谭美·达克沃斯。写信给陆军、海军、空军、海岸警卫队和国民警卫队的负责人，要求颁布类似的条例，禁止展示邦联旗帜。
一位战斗老兵杜克沃斯写道:“纪念那些对美国发动战争的人‘失去的事业’，或者捍卫一个州允许其居民拥有、出售和杀害美国同胞作为财产的权利，在我们的国家没有任何地位，尤其是美国武装部队，他们发动了一场致命的战争来消除奴隶制的野蛮行径。”。
“禁止公开展示邦联战旗的批评者可能会指责我试图‘抹去’历史，”她继续说道。“没有什么比这更偏离事实了。...禁止庆祝不同于教育。”
周二晚些时候，海军宣布他们将跟随海军陆战队的领导，禁止悬挂南方联盟的旗帜。
吉尔代的发言人内特·克里斯滕森博士说:“海军作战部部长麦克·吉尔代上将已经指示他的幕僚们开始起草一份命令，禁止在海军设施、船只、飞机和潜艇上的所有公共场所和工作区域悬挂邦联战旗。”。“该命令旨在确保部队凝聚力，维护良好的秩序和纪律，维护海军荣誉、勇气和承诺的核心价值观。”
一名陆军官员还告诉美国广播公司新闻，他们的服务将是“制定一项计划，制定政策和程序，排除或禁止在陆军设施上展示邦联标志。”
Trump says admin 'will not even consider' renaming bases named after Confederate leaders, after Army signals openness
PresidentDonald Trumpsaid his administration "will not even consider" renaming military bases originally named after Confederate leaders, a day after the Army issued a statement saying top military leaders were "open" to the discussion.
"It has been suggested that we should rename as many as 10 of our Legendary Military Bases, such as Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Benning in Georgia, etc. These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage, and a history of Winning, Victory, and Freedom," the president tweeted on Wednesday.
"The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds, and won two World Wars," Trump continued. "Therefore, my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations. Our history as the Greatest Nation in the World will not be tampered with. Respect our Military!"
...history of Winning, Victory, and Freedom. The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds, and won two World Wars. Therefore, my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)June 10, 2020
...Our history as the Greatest Nation in the World will not be tampered with. Respect our Military!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)June 10, 2020
In a statement on Monday, an Army spokesperson said Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy were "open to a bi-partisan discussion" about renaming the bases.
Asked on Wednesday about Trump's tweets, Army media relations said it had "nothing to add at this time."
There are 10 Army installations, including Fort Lee and Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia, named after Confederate leaders from the Civil War. For years, critics have told the military it's long been time for change -- the names uplifting men who fought for white supremacy and the right to own slaves.
Chris Keane/Reuters, FILE
In this Sept. 26, 2014, file photo, a sign of Fort Bragg is seen in Fayetteville, N.C.
In this Sept. 26, 2014, file photo, a sign of Fort Bragg is seen in Fayetteville, N.C.Chris Keane/Reuters, FILE
But as recently as February,the Army saidit had "no plans to rename any street or installation," saying it was "important to note that the naming of installations and streets was done in a spirit of reconciliation, not to demonstrate support for any particular cause or ideology."
"The Army has a tradition of naming installations and streets after historical figures of military significance, including former Union and Confederate general officers," the statement said at the time.
An official told ABC News that the death of George Floyd while in the custody of the Minneapolis Police Department on May 25 and the subsequent protests against police brutality and racial inequality in America have led Defense Department leaders to reverse that earlier stance and signal openness to a conversation about renaming the bases. Meanwhile,cities across the countryhave chosen to remove statues of Confederate figures.
An inspection crew from the Virginia Department of General Services takes measurements as they inspect the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue, June 8, 2020, in Richmond, Va.
An inspection crew from the Virginia Department of General Services takes measurements as they inspect the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue, June 8, 2020, in Richmond, Va.Steve Helber/AP
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told reporters on Tuesday that he was supportive of changing the names "that carry racial connotations and imply continued racism in our society."
"The military is actually one of the most successful institutions in our nation in integrating and avoiding discrimination," Blumenthal, who is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said. "So renaming these bases would be very, very appropriate for the military to do, recognizing the progress it's made -- more progress than many other sectors of our society. And I hope the secretary of defense will in fact consider it."
ABC News contributor Mick Mulroy, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense and retired Marine, suggested the Army could rename its bases after Medal of Honor recipients from those states. Mulroy grew up near Fort Gordon in Georgia, named after Confederate general John Brown Gordon who opposed Reconstruction and isbelieved to have ledpart of the Klu Klux Klan.
"Since the Civil War ended, there have been almost 30 Medals of Honor from Georgia by my count," Mulroy said. "I would start there, then move on to the next installation."
"Although the Civil War should be remembered as part of our history, that should be done in museums and by historians," he added. "American soldiers should serve on bases that are named after the heroes that have sacrificed and fought for our country, not against it."
But at the White House on Wednesday, press secretary Kayleigh McEnany reiterated that the president does "fervently stand against the renaming of our forts."
"Fort Bragg is known for the heroes within it that trained there, that deployed from there, and it's an insult to say to the men and women who left there, the last thing they saw on American soil before going overseas and in some cases losing their lives to tell them that what they left was inherently a racist institution because of the name," she said. "That is unacceptable to the president."
Floyd's death has also sparked a conversation about thedisplay of Confederate paraphernaliaon bases. Back in February, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger banned Confederate symbols, including the Confederate flag, from Marine Corps installations,writingthey had the "power to inflame feelings of division."
On Monday, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., wrote to the heads of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and National Guard to enact a similar regulation and prohibit the display of the Confederate flag.
"Honoring the 'lost cause' of those who waged war against the United States of America, or defending the right of an individual State to allow its residents to own, sell and kill fellow Americans as property, has no place in our Nation, especially the U.S. Armed Forces which waged a deadly war to eliminate the barbaric practice of slavery," wrote Duckworth, a combat veteran.
"Critics of banning the public display of the Confederate Battle Flag may accuse me of seeking to 'erase' history," she continued. "Nothing could be further from the truth. ... Banning celebration is distinct from education."
Late Tuesday, the Navy announced they would follow the Marine Corps' lead and ban the Confederate flag.
"The Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Mike Gilday, has directed his staff to begin crafting an order that would prohibit the Confederate battle flag from all public spaces and work areas aboard Navy installations, ships, aircraft and submarines," said Cmdr. Nate Christensen, a spokesman for Gilday. "The order is meant to ensure unit cohesion, preserve good order and discipline, and uphold the Navy's core values of honor, courage and commitment."
An Army official also told ABC News that their service would be "working on a plan to develop policy and procedures to exclude or prohibit the display of Confederate symbols on Army installations."
