BLM is a virus with no known cure, corrupting everything it touches. I’m speaking here about the Marxist-founded Black Lives Matter movement which seeks to destroy American traditions, culture, and institutions, not the honest people in its ranks who have been duped by the slogan. It appears that nothing is off-limits to these radical cultural Marxists, including national holidays. They are not letting the tragedy of George Floyd’s death a year ago go to waste, as Rahm Emanuel would say, by beginning the transition of Memorial Day – one of most sacred national holidays – to what amounts to “George Floyd Memorial Day” (with a heavy dose of cancel culture tossed in).

Pundits are already laying the foundation for that transition. Here is what Colbert King opined in The (Execrable) Washington Post after dissing traditional Memorial Day celebrations in America:

I’m also going to honor Black people in America who have paid the ultimate price, but unfairly at the hands of sworn officers of the law.

No audience is needed to solemnly observe George Floyd, Ronald Greene, Breonna Taylor, Daunte Wright, Jonathan Price and countless other Black people whose lives were cut short.

Traditionalists need not worry. Your plans will not be interrupted. No forced moments of silence, no required listening to “Taps,” no roadblocks in your pursuit of a good time. Rest assured, Memorial Day 2021, with covid-19 on the wane, will transpire as ever with travelers, shoppers and backyard chefs out and about, just doing their thing. Dead Black lives won’t be in your way, if indeed they ever have.

Memorial Day is as good a time as ever to also commemorate the other fallen — precious Black lives that mattered, as least to some of us.

A reminder is in order before continuing. As noted here, “Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military.” Nothing more; nothing less. The day is nonpolitical; it is about the remembrance of the fallen and what they sacrificed for the rest of us. The poppy is the symbol of Memorial Day; it knows no politics. Perverting the day for political purposes is an affront to the memory of those who died defending the Constitution “against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” And believe you me, the BLM activists are domestic enemies!

But it is not just pundits like King introducing politics into the day. The Hologram’s thoroughly politically corrupt administration is in rapid march in their descent into a Marxist hell-in-America. The State Department used the anniversary of Floyd’s death to implement a policy of flying the BLM flag at US embassies around the world – throughout 2021! – and also pushing BLM language and materials on State Department personnel and other countries. Never mind Memorial Day; that’s yesterday’s news. The Marxists are wiping it out with what amounts to a year-long George Floyd and BLM commemoration.

[As an aside, I “can’t wait” to see what they’ll try to do with the 4^th of July. The feds have already rejected the request for the annual fireworks celebration at Mt. Rushmore. I pray that my governor, Kristi Noem, prevails in her lawsuit to have the celebration restored.]

The comprehensive State Department memorandum directing actions in US embassies is provided below in its disgraceful entirety. Honoring the Marxist-founded Black Lives Matter movement and commemorating a habitual criminal and drug user like George Floyd is a complete and utter travesty. While reading through it, see if you can pick out these entirely politically motivated assertions and premises unsupported by facts, and then consider that this entire effort was ultimately paid for by the US taxpayer:

• To advance racial justice (a classic derivative of Marxist critical theory and dialectics)
• Commemoration of George Floyd’s murder (really?)
• A long line of Black men and women who have suffered at the hands of police brutality
• A movement to confront systems perpetuating deep-seated inequities rooted in colonialism and the oppression of racial, tribal, ethnic, and other minority communities
• To seek racial justice and equity by dismantling systemic racism and eradicating police brutality
• A top priority for the Administration’s domestic and foreign policy
• The movement appears to have begun organically on social media (whoever wrote that sentence is either ignorant or a BLM activist/sympathizer)
• The racial inequities of underserved communities (equity and its flipside inequity are the latest Marxist perversions of political speak)
• To advance racial equity and access to justice on May 25 and beyond (yep, forget Memorial Day; this is the top priority mission 24x7x365)
• To eliminate systemic racism and its continued impact (which will never happen in their minds because if you happen to have been born white, then you are a racist by definition and tainted forever by “systemic racism”)

The State Dept memorandum reads:

MRN: 21 STATE 53304

Date/DTG: May 22, 2021 / 222307Z MAY 21

From: SECSTATE WASHDC

Action: ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

E.O.: 13526

TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, PREF, SMIG, SOCI, EAID, KDNI, APER, AMGT, KPAO, KWMN, KLGBT, KJUS, KDEM

Reference: A) E.O. 13985 B) 21 STATE 47544

Subject: COMMEMORATING GEORGE FLOYD: DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENT AND USE OF BLACK LIVES MATTER (BLM) LANGUAGE AND MATERIAL

1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraphs 13-15.
2. (U) Summary: May 25 marks one year since the brutal murder of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Last year, the horrific video of Mr. Floyd’s final 9 minutes and 29 seconds went viral and spurred Black Lives Matter protests worldwide, in response to his senseless killing and to demand an end to systemic racism and police brutality. One year later, many in the international community will honor Mr. Floyd and acknowledge the long journey nations face to advance racial justice. Leading up to May 25, the Department has issued guidance on the use of Black Lives Matter language, banners, and flags. End Summary.

Context

3. (U) May 25 marks the one-year commemoration of George Floyd’s murder. For 9 minutes and 29 seconds, the world saw firsthand how police officers brutally took the life of an unarmed Black man in the United States. These viral images ignited national and global Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests and demonstrations. This tragedy joined a long line of Black men and women who have suffered at the hands of police brutality. These national and global protests sparked a movement to confront systems perpetuating deep-seated inequities rooted in colonialism and the oppression of racial, tribal, ethnic, and other minority communities. Mr. Floyd’s murder prompted an international outcry to seek racial justice and equity by dismantling systemic racism and eradicating police brutality affecting communities of color, most acutely, people of African descent.
4. (U) On January 20, as one of his first official actions, President Biden issued Executive Order 13985 to advance racial equity and support for underserved communities (reftel 21 STATE 47544). This effort is a top priority for the Administration’s domestic and foreign policy; the United States cannot credibly message on human rights abroad if it does not address these same issues at home. To achieve his policy objectives, President Biden issued several additional executive actions to support underserved communities and advance racial equity, which notably include:

• Memorandum Condemning and Combating Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance Against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States
• Executive Order #14020 on Establishment of the White House Gender Policy Council, and
• Presidential Memorandum on Advancing the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+) Persons Around the World.
• A National Security Priority: Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities

5. (U) The Department’s policy efforts with respect to advancing racial equity as part of supporting our national security interests are as follows:

• Partnering with like-minded nations and civil society stakeholders to counter disinformation, propaganda, and the concerted malign influence of state and non-state actors which sow racial discord among communities, undermining democratic norms.
• Partnering with like-minded nations and civil society stakeholders to counter disinformation, propaganda, and the concerted malign influence of state and non-state actors which sow racial discord among communities, undermining democratic norms.
• Promoting democratic principles, fighting corruption, increasing access to justice through reform efforts, and raising awareness of the prevalence and effect of discrimination against members of racial, ethnic, and underserved communities.
• Combating violence and discrimination against members of racial, ethnic, and other underserved communities.
• Building coalitions of like-minded nations and engaging international organizations in the fight against systemic racism and discrimination, to include swift and meaningful responses to human rights abuses and violations of racial, ethnic, and other underserved and mainstream racial equity issues throughout the multilateral system.
• Expanding efforts to ensure regular U.S. federal government engagement with foreign governments, citizens, civil society, and the private sector promotes respect for the human rights of members of racial, ethnic, and other underserved communities.
• Empowering local movements to advance the human rights of members of racial, ethnic, and other underserved communities through efforts that strengthen the capacity of civil society.

Press Guidance and Statements: Black Lives Matter and Commemoration of George Floyd’s Murder

6. (U) The documents below provide talking points and press guidance on racial inequity and discrimination:

• Press Guidance: Racial Justice in Foreign Policy in Content Commons, dated 1/28/2021
• Press Guidance: Thematic Guidance – Human Rights Report and Toplines for the Human Rights Reports in Content Commons, both dated 4/2/2021.
• Joint Statement on Countering Racism and Racial Discrimination, Human Rights Council 46th Session, dated 3/19/2021
• Statement During the Adoption of the Third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United States, as delivered by Lisa Peterson, DRL Acting Assistant Secretary, dated 3/17/2021
• Remarks by Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, dated 3/19/2021.

Background of Black Lives Matter Movement

7. (U) According to the Office of U.S. Special Counsel, “As a social movement, BLM gained prominence following a series of high-profile killings of Black Americans in 2013 and 2014 and, in particular, the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the killing of Trayvon Martin. The movement appears to have begun organically on social media. The phrase ‘Black Lives Matter’ then became a rallying cry for protesters and organizations seeking to raise awareness of, and respond to, issues associated with racism in the United States. BLM is thus an umbrella term for a constellation of ideas, objectives, and groups. There is no ‘leader’ of the BLM movement. Rather, there are numerous organizations that use BLM terminology to varying degrees, including some whose names include the phrase ‘Black Lives Matter.’ Of these, the most prominent is the Black Lives Matter Global Network (BLMGN).”

Use of Black Lives Matter Language in Diplomatic Engagements

8. (U) The United States remains concerned about the racial inequities of underserved communities, both domestically and abroad. The Department supports the use of the term “Black Lives Matter” in messaging content, speeches, and other diplomatic engagements with foreign audiences to advance racial equity and access to justice on May 25 and beyond. We encourage posts to focus on the need to eliminate systemic racism and its continued impact.

Participation in Black Lives Matter-related Activities

9. (U) As outlined by 2020 guidance from the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, the “Hatch Act generally allows employees to engage in BLM-related activity while on duty or in the workplace. But, as described below, employees are still prohibited from combining BLM-related activity with ‘political activity’ while on duty or in the workplace and from engaging in partisan political fundraising in connection with BLM-related organizations. ‘Political activity’ is an ‘activity directed toward the success or failure of a political party, candidate for partisan political office, or partisan political group.”

Guidance on Black Lives Matter Banner Displays

10. (U) Any BLM-related displays within the interior of the mission, or exterior displays other than the display of a BLM flag on the flagpole (e.g., a banner over the door, BLM spotlights, projections, etc.) are at the Chief of Mission’s discretion.
11. (U) As outlined below, Chiefs of Mission may decide to hang BLM flags, as appropriate and depending on local context. This cable constitutes a blanket written authorization for calendar year 2021 from the Under Secretary for Management (M) to display the BLM flag on the external-facing flagpole to any Chiefs of Mission who determine such a display is appropriate in light of local conditions. This is an authorization, not a requirement.
12. (U) U.S. law at 4 U.S.C. section 7(f) provides that “[w]hen flags of States, cities, or localities, or pennants of societies are flown on the same halyard with the flag of the United States, the latter should always be at the peak. When the flags are flown from adjacent staffs, the flag of the United States should be hoisted first and lowered last. No such flag or pennant may be placed above the flag of the United States or to the right of the U.S. flag.” The Black Lives Matter flag, and/or any other types of affinity flags, should be treated as pennants of societies in accordance with this provision, and accordingly, when displayed alongside the U.S. flag either indoors or outdoors, should always be placed in a subordinate position. Regarding the external, public-facing flagpole of all U.S. missions, the written approval of the Secretary, through the Under Secretary for Management (M), is necessary to display any flag other than the U.S. flag, a Foreign Service flag, or a POW/MIA flag. As noted above, this cable constitutes blanket written authorization to display the BLM flag on the external-facing flagpole during calendar year 2021.

Action Request

13. (U) Posts are strongly encouraged to make full use of Department and Interagency tools and resources to promote policy objectives to advance racial equity and support for underserved communities throughout the year, including with a particular focus of May 25 and during June to commemorate Juneteenth and lesser-known racially motivated attacks such as the the Tulsa Race Massacre – the 100th anniversary of which will take place May 31 – -June 1, 2021. On May 24, GPA will release a compilation video featuring messages from activists around the world on the importance of global racial justice as part of a playbook with language for the anniversary of George Floyd’s murder. This video compilation will also feature senior Department leaders to demonstrate the Administration’s commitment to racial equity and support for underserved communities.
14. (U) Posts may pull from DRL’s library of evergreen content, including its civil rights toolkit and its Juneteenth toolkit, the latter of which will have new material in early June. DRL is creating a mini toolkit to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre and will send that to Posts during the last week of May. Posts should also look for articles from GPA’s Share America office on both topics. Content Commons may also contain resources. Public Affairs sections should leverage ECA programs to advance this priority at post. The following are a few programming suggestions:

• Use resources at American Spaces, including digital resources;
• Work with Alumni Coordinators to engage networks of alumni and current U.S. and in-country exchange participants to draw on their experience and expertise;
• Hold open conversations with target audiences using ECA-curated racial inclusion films;
• Request an in-person or virtual expert from the ECA U.S. Speaker Program, actively recruit professionals for International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and IVLP On-Demand Programs from underserved communities as well as those working on efforts to advance racial equity in-country.

It is important for us to continue planning events, activities, and messages to demonstrate the commitment of the U.S. government and efforts by American communities to overcome racism, including by acknowledging historical events and tragedies and their lasting impact today.

15. (U) The Department stands ready to assist Posts in their efforts to develop and implement equity-related programming, outreach, and events. Posts are requested to use the Diversity and Inclusion (KDNI) tag when reporting these activities via front-channel as appropriate. The Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources, the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, and regional bureaus will collect information to be included for reporting to the White House required by by E.O. 13985 to advance racial equity and support for underserved communities. Posts may contact D-MR staff with questions at [email protected].

Signature: Blinken

Conclusion. This memorandum has probably been in the works for a year, waiting for a Democrat president to wipe away the Trump interregnum and continue the Democrat-led descent into a cultural Marxist hell. Tossing paragraph 9 in there about violating the Hatch Act is equivalent to flipping us all the bird, too. Ask virtually any American to which party BLM is aligned politically, and the answer will be the Democrat Party 99 times out of 100. “Celebrating BLM” is completely aligned with the Democrat Party, as Democrats have enabled BLM protests in Blue cities and states throughout 2020. BLM and Democrat Party objectives are a bigly overlapped Venn diagram, too. With this State Dept memorandum and agitprop pundits like Colbert King in action, we are entering the era of “BLM über alles.” And US embassies flying the BLM flag on Memorial Day is a direct insult to those who gave their lives defending the US against many enemies, but especially Communists and other totalitarians. It is a direct insult to their survivors and descendants, too.

The Democrats and their brownshirts in the BLM movement would have us forget about traditional Memorial Day remembrances. Not me. I bought my poppy last Wednesday and wear it proudly while thinking about my dad who served in the Hurtgen Forest on the Western Front during World War II, as well as those who fought and died for our freedoms in all prior wars. Have you bought yours?

The end.