In the wake of nationwide protests against the murder of George Floyd by police, Americans are reconsidering which parts of the United States' past we choose to glorify.
Nascar has banned confederate flags at its races. The band formerly known as Lady Antebellum has changed its name to Lady A.
But while certain private companies have taken up these changes, the long-fought battle to remove confederate iconography from government buildings in the United States has been more uphill.
Lawmakers conquered one of the more significant hurdles, however, when the Republican-led Senate Armed Services Committee amended the yearly defense spending bill to establish a Pentagon commission tasked with renaming all bases, ships, planes, and other entities named for confederate leaders.
The decision came the same day President Donald Trump railed against the idea on Twitter.
Senator Elizabeth Warren elaborated on the committee's move in a Twitter thread.
Last week, I filed an amendment to the annual defense bill to rename all bases named for Confederate generals. Yest… https://t.co/2kO0tJ42Ku— Elizabeth Warren (@Elizabeth Warren)1591896126.0
That’s not all. Under this new agreement, the Pentagon would be required to remove all names, symbols, displays, mo… https://t.co/xUidMZqyT9— Elizabeth Warren (@Elizabeth Warren)1591896126.0
Changing the names of our bases won’t erase the history of slavery and legacy of white supremacy in the US. We’re f… https://t.co/aNz14tiD3N— Elizabeth Warren (@Elizabeth Warren)1591896127.0
I'm still urging our military leaders to take action now, and to be thoughtful about who we memorialize going forwa… https://t.co/eWwKFaLXlD— Elizabeth Warren (@Elizabeth Warren)1591896127.0
I’m grateful that the Armed Services Committee is taking this step forward. Donald Trump should listen to his own p… https://t.co/wIHS8QMclW— Elizabeth Warren (@Elizabeth Warren)1591896127.0
As you can likely imagine, the President was not a happy camper, and soon took to Twitter, referring to Warren with a racial slur.
Seriously failed presidential candidate, Senator Elizabeth “Pocahontas” Warren, just introduced an Amendment on the… https://t.co/1IjyhhIRyM— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump)1591899698.0
...history of Winning, Victory, and Freedom. The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these… https://t.co/gSrzwsvyJQ— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump)1591814438.0
...Our history as the Greatest Nation in the World will not be tampered with. Respect our Military!— Donald J. Trump (@Donald J. Trump)1591814438.0
Pocahontas wasn't some Disney princess. She was a victim of human trafficking. She was one of our first known stole… https://t.co/BFqNSF6hQT— Tricia Zunker (@Tricia Zunker)1591910264.0
The President ended the rant with calls to "Respect our Military," failing to note that the Senate Armed Services Committee is led by veterans, with many of its members veterans as well.
It may not come as a surprise that most people sided with Warren.
Meanwhile, they excoriated Trump for his response.
@realDonaldTrump Tell us more about military heritage 5X Draft Dodger!— Bruno Amato (@Bruno Amato)1591821902.0
@realDonaldTrump These men went to war against their Country in order to keep other men as slaves They are not her… https://t.co/GM9hLbiGg0— Freedom Forever 🇺🇸 (@Freedom Forever 🇺🇸)1591839595.0
@realDonaldTrump #BREAKING Man Whose Imaginary Bone Spurs Prevented Him From Serving His Country In A Time Of War H… https://t.co/njj9VmGXvF— Jeff Tiedrich (@Jeff Tiedrich)1591814650.0
There's no other country in the world that names their military bases after the traitors they beat down. There's no… https://t.co/8yzzyOFokJ— Facts Do Matter (@Facts Do Matter)1591913886.0
@realDonaldTrump The bases bear the names of men who fought to keep slavery in their lives. We dint need to honour them— Mia Farrow (@Mia Farrow)1591827651.0
What other country commemorates traitors with statues, highways, buildings and bases named after them?— Sir John (@Sir John)1591846114.0
@realDonaldTrump You respect the military so much you decided to dodge the draft.— John Sipher (@John Sipher)1591829466.0
@DavidJHayes2 @Monte102 @TJC @thehill name ONE other country who named bases after enemy traitors who they defeated… https://t.co/5aQU5bc3dC— Santino Mark Anthony Perogeni (@Santino Mark Anthony Perogeni)1591774788.0
He knows who won the Civil War, right?
@realDonaldTrump I prefer generals who didn't lose the civil war.— Walter Shaub (@Walter Shaub)1591831422.0
@realDonaldTrump Spoiler alert: The Confederates lost, you rancid racist.— Lesley Abravanel🆘 (@Lesley Abravanel🆘)1591815033.0
@realDonaldTrump Someone should really pass you a note letting you know which side won the Civil War (hint: it wasn’t the South)— Andrew Wortman (@Andrew Wortman)1591828526.0
@realDonaldTrump I like bases named after people who didn’t wage war against their country so they could own other… https://t.co/dda8DoTB7C— Zach McMechan (@Zach McMechan)1591825544.0
It will be interesting to see how this turns out.