Essay On The 14th Amendment

Words: 451
Pages: 2

We citizens have more power than ever. We’ve been controlling more of our lives over the years, The increased role of the government in our lives have improved our lives as American citizens. Throughout the past century we went from having slaves to allowing same sex marriage, and it's not only because the government wanted it, it's something we as citizens fought for.
Loving v. Virginia, in 1958 two couples of different races got married elsewhere and when they returned home they were charged with violating the state’s anti miscegenation statute(banned interracial marriage) The Court ruled that their freedom to marry or not marry cannot be infringed by the State, if the case was one by the State this would of violated the fourteenth amendment. This both improved us because the Court was able to put a stop to such a ridiculous law that violated our freedoms.
Roe v. Wade, in 1969 Norma McCorvey was denied abortion by Texas and ended up giving birth to the child only to be sent to get adopted. The Court ruled that the right to have an abortion fell within the right to privacy which was protected by the fourteenth amendment. Even though she ended up having the baby she should of been able to do what she pleased earlier, the state needs to be given less
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Johnson, in 1984 there was a protest in which Johnson was handed an American flag that got taken down, he then covered it in kerosene and set it on fire. Texas claimed he was violating their anti-flag burning laws on the books. He received a sentence of one year in prison and had to pay a fine of $2,000. The Court was on Johnson’s side, Texas statute was struck down. This is because Johnson has his freedom of expression which is under the 1st amendment. Although i don't support the burning of our flag i do support the right to be able to do it. This shows how our lives are being improved because we our gaining more rights as the years come, and our freedoms aren’t being restricted as they have been in the