Friend,

At long last, confederate flags and monuments are being recognized as violent, divisive, and racist symbols -- symbols that have no place in the U.S. military.

I was drawn to serve on active duty in the United States Air Force by a sense of duty, integrity, and a commitment to upholding the very same notion of freedom that my parents sought when they first immigrated to the U.S. The confederate flag makes a mockery of that, and flies in the face of everything our military stands for.

That’s why I joined two of my House colleagues and fellow veterans, Ruben Gallego and Anthony Brown, in calling on the Department of Defense to ban all depictions and displays of the confederate flag immediately. Today, I'm pleased to share with you that the Pentagon has listened and rolled out a new policy that effectively bans confederate flags on all military property.

This is a victory, but our work is far from over. As millions of Americans marched to demand justice for Black lives, we must continue to demand the removal of symbols that stand for hate and oppression, reforms to our criminal justice system, and a more equal country for all.

Best,
Ted

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