Flag Desecration: Texas V. Johnson

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A brief history: The issue of flag desecration is not new. It was tackled in the historic Supreme Court case, Texas v. Johnson in 1984 when Gregory Johnson burned an American Flag on the steps of a courthouse to protests President Reagan’s administration.

In a narrow 5-4 decision, the Court ruled it illegal to convict Johnson, thus creating the now standing rule that it is okay to desecrate the American flag. Their reasoning being: Johnson’s actions were protected under the First Amendment as it was a form of expression, and he is entitled to his opinion, and that just because someone “takes offense” to his display, does not entitle to the Court prohibiting Johnson’s speech.
On to the bill: I completely understand the argument that if we truly hold the First Amendment to the highest regard, flag desecration would be protected, as it is a form of free speech to allow contradictory and offensive displays. However, this bill is not to limit the views of disapproval, disappointment, anger, hate, or any other opposing view of the American government. In fact, I personally encourage people to question and challenge their government. “A government of the people, by the people, and for the people,” is subject to being held accountable to the people it serves.

Case Study: Texas V. Johnson

Should the desecration of the United States Flag be allowed or not tolerated? “In 1988 the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Texas v. Johnson” (Texas v. Johnson, 79). This took place because Johnson burned the American Flag which was against the law in Texas. He first was sentenced to one year in prison and a fine of $2000, but a higher court looked at the case and overturned the decision. The majority of this court’s opinion believes that Texas’s law should be upheld, because Johnson burning the…

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Essay on Case Analysis Texas V. Johnson

397 Texas v. Johnson CERTIORARI TO THE COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS OF TEXAS ________________________________________ No. 88-155 Argued: March 21, 1989 --- Decided: June 21, 1989 This case analysis of Texas v. Gregory Lee Johnson was a Supreme Court case that overthrew bans on damaging the American flag in 48 of the 50 states. Gregory Lee Johnson participated in a political demonstration during the 1984 Republican National Convention in Dallas, Texas, where he burned the American flag. Consequently…

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Texas Vs Johnson Case Study

The decision of Texas v. Johnson was a controversial case that . In this case, Gregory Johnson burned the American flag as a form of protest against Reagan administration policies. Authorities convicted Johnson under a Texas law that prohibited the desecration of a national flag. Johnson’s conviction was a direct violation of freedom of expression which is protected under the First Amendment. According to the First Amendment, “ Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech;or the right…

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Dallas, Texas; the year being 1984. With the GOP elections ending, it had also been officially declared that conservative Ronald Reagan was nominated as president, preparing to serve his second term. Groups of individuals came together and organized a political protest in Dallas that voiced opposition towards Reagan’s extremely conservative administration policies and executive decisions that harmed some Dallas-based corporations.Within the crowd of riled up Americans was Gregory Lee Johnson. As the…

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The date was Wednesday, August 22, 1984. It was an extremely hot day in downtown Dallas, Texas which was the host site of the 1984 Republican National Convention. Inside the Dallas Convention Center thousands of Americans were ecstatic about the news of President Ronald W. Reagan and Vice President George H. W. Bush winning the Republican party over for the chance of a second term in the White House. What no American knew was that not only what was happening inside the convention center that day…

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Gregory Lee Johnson participated in a demonstration at the Republican National Convention held in Dallas, Texas. He was engaged in a protest for polices of the Reagan Administration. Through the streets, the demonstrators chanted and protested. Johnson was handed an American flag between all the ranting. As he reached Dallas City Hall, Johnson set the flag on fire. When the flag burned, he was quickly arrested. Johnson was charged with violating a Texas law that prevented the desecration of a venerated…

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Case 491 U.S. 397, 109 S.Ct. 2533 argued March 21, 1989 and was decided June 21, 1989. The issue in Texas v. Gregory Lee Johnson was the desecration of the American flag as a political protest protected under the freedom of expression clauses of the First and Fourteenth Amendments. While the Republican National Convention was taking place in Dallas in 1984, Gregory Lee Johnson participated in a political demonstration called the “Republican War Chest Tour.” The purpose of the demonstration was to…

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Flag burning, as a form of peaceful protest, is not a recent matter; the first time being when Congress tried to stop this in 1907. The government eventually banned flag burning in 48 states, but this went away a few decades later in 1989 thanks to the Texas v. Johnson Supreme Court (SCOTUS) case. One of the reasons people burn the flag is to protest something. They often do it to “show that America has strayed from its original path” (Flagcases.net). Taking away this right goes against the Constitution’s…

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Texas v. Johnson 1989 Freedom of Speech The reason for the case starts with the Revolutionary Communist Youth Brigade marching around Dallas, TX during the 1984 National Republican Convention. The group was marching through the streets protesting President Reagan’s policies. While the group was mostly marching because of the convention; there were also several companies that they were targeting. When at one of the companies one member took the American flag and handed it to Gregory Lee…

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and it is also referred as a disrespectful action with the flag. This is a debate among the people whether is it legal or illegal, because some people say it’s a very disrespectful action and others say that if the people that do it are punished it can be a violation against their 1st amendment. The disrespectful act of burning the nation’s flag should be punished whenever someone does it. Currently in The United States of America flag burning is not illegal because the supreme court decided…

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