The American Flag Stands For Tolerance

What does the American Flag mean to me? It means freedom,respect,equal right, faith and hope. Soldiers help protect this country, they fight for us, they give up everything for us. People don’t know how important the flag is. The flag means our country’s freedom. When I look up at the flag, I see people, not just any people, the great Americans that have fought for this country.

Texas v. Johnson or American Flag Stands for Tolerance differences? Texas's v. Johnson is the courts decision and the American Flag Stands for Tolerance is the editors opinion. In the courts decision they had to accept Gregory Johnson for his beliefs people were very petulantly of Gregory's opinion. The news paper editor, Ronald J. Allen has his own opinion about the flag getting burnt by Gregory Johnson. Ronald J. Allen opinion is that it is wrong to discriminate the American flag and he still thinks we should have freedom. William J. Brennan thinks that the court opinion is right because the first amendment but he always says one mans opinion will not change our nations attitude towards the flag.

In the Texas v. Majority court case, the theme is tolerance is the driving force of the short read. The Supreme Court argued that we must be tolerant of Gregory Lee Johnson for his desecration of the American Flag as it is freedom of speech and would be unconstitutional to imprison him for exercising his first amendment freedoms. Another argument states that Johnson should have been tolerant of the United

In result to this case, the majority of the court noted that the Texas law discriminated upon the law. They feel that this act might bring up anger in other people and more flag burning. The majority of the court also agreed that Johnson had the right to use that form of symbolic speech because it is protected by the first amendment. They find this act is very offensive, but the society’s outrage alone is not justification for depressing Johnson’s freedom of speech.

In the American Flag stands for tolerance by Ronald J. Allen agrees with the courts decision that everyone is entitled to freedom of conscience. That also means that even if someone

The flag of the United States is our national symbol and our most important symbol of all; it symbolizes our nation’s strength and pride. Due to its high values and symbolism, by 1932, forty-eight states had adopted the flag desecration laws to legally protect and restrict desecration of the flag of the United States. However, these flag desecration laws only lasted until 1989, because in 1989, in the Texas v Johnson case, the United States Supreme Court recognized that flag desecration as a form of symbolic political speech that is constitutionally protected by First Amendment and agreed that the “government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable”( ).

What does the United States flag mean to me.The United States flag means a lot to me because it represents the country I live in. The United States flag makes me feel home.I drive by homes, grocery stores, restaurants, and so many other places and see the beautiful United States flag. Every morning I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. I love the colors and I always remember 50 stars fifty states 13 stripes thirteen colonies. I also remember the white signifies purity and innocence, red signifies valor and bravery, and blue signifies vigilance, perseverance, and justices. We raise the flag in honor and in memory of those who have and/or are serving. The flag if flown at half-staff to show the live we have lost. The

The Flag that stands tall in our country could be defined in many different ways. Many people may say “oh the 13 stripes are because of the 13 colonies and the fifty states are the fifty stars. These people are just repeating the literal meaning, but these people don’t understand the true meaning of the American Flag. The American Flag represents opportunity, unity, and the pursuit of your dreams.

The issue brought to attention was whether or not flag burning constitutes symbolic speech. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Johnson and said that flag burning did indeed constitute symbolic speech. The court ruled in favor of Johnson by a slim five to four lead. The majority of the court stated that freedom of speech also protects actions that people may find offensive or disagree with. The court also stated that the Texas law Johnson violated, discriminated upon viewpoint. This is what Justice William Brennan had to say; "If there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable. . .

Skemp and Weinberg brought Johnson’s case before the appeals court on September 26th where they continued to argue that Johnson’s prosecution was in violation of the First Amendment and that since his actions were symbolic and committed during a political protest that it was acceptable (Goldstein 38). The attorneys also stated the Johnson’s flag burning met the test of expression set out by the “O’Brien test” in Supreme Court case United States v. O’Brien of 1967. The test set a number of guidelines that should be used to decide whether a law that prohibits free speech violates the First Amendment. The test said that the law in question must be: within the constitutional power of the government to enact, further an important or substantial government interest and that interest must be unrelated to the suppression of speech and prohibit no more speech than is essential to further the said interest (Goldstein 25). John D. Nation responded for Texas saying that Johnson created and explosive situation by burning the flag, with people angry and yelling, and the demonstration could have easily led to a physical reaction from those that were nearby and felt offended or opposed. Nation also said there was a need to preserve our country’s flag as a symbol of national unity and strength. Additionally he argued that burning the flag harmed a person’s sense of national identity and that people assumingly link that with what is represented by the flag and so destroying it could put Johnson in danger (Goldstein 52). On January 23, 1986, Judge John Vance ruled to uphold Johnson’s conviction on the grounds that it complied with the O’Brien test and that the law was to protect Texas’ interest in preventing breaches of the peace. On February 7th Johnson then

In the case of Johnson vs. Texas, Gregory Lee Johnson was brought to court for burning the American Flag outside of the convention center during the Republican National Convention. The incident occurred in Dallas Texas in the year 1984 when Ronald Reagan was President. The report stated that Johnson was protesting against Reagan’s policies in America. Johnson was proved to be a member of a private institution that promoted the communist movement. His protest against Reagan expressed his dissatisfaction. Johnson was arrested and charged for violating a Texas statue fined $2000 dollars for his actions. In response to the fine, Johnson appealed and took his case to the United States Supreme Court.

In light of recent events, debate has sprung out over the implications of the Confederate States of America’s battle flag. One side strongly argues that it is a sign of intolerance, racism, and hatred. The other strongly disagrees that it is a sign of southern pride, heritage, and states’ rights. The rebel flag is often misconstrued as something hateful, but it still represented a system relying on slave labor and a confederacy that was against the union. The flag shouldn’t be used on official government facilities, but should still be available to the public as a way of exercising free speech rights.

The United States Supreme Court found Texas’s flag desecration law unconstitutional during the Johnson verses Texas case. During the 1984 Republican National Convention, Johnson took part in a “political demonstration to protest the policies of the Reagan administration and some Dallas-based corporations” (Texas v Johnson). Johnson burned an American flag after he marched through the streets, while other protesters chanted. No one was physically injured or in danger of injury, although several witnesses were seriously offended by the flag burning. Johnson was convicted of “…desecration of a venerated object in violation of a Texas statute” (Texas v Johnson). The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals acquitted the violation because under the First Amendment, flag burning is expressive conduct; therefore, he could not be punished. The court concluded that the State could not criminally restrict flag desecration in order to preserve the flag as a symbol of national unity. Also, “The government may not prohibit the verbal or nonverbal expression of an idea merely because society finds the idea offensive or disagreeable, even when our flag is involved” (Texas v Johnson). It is unconstitutional to limit our rights simply because someone finds our actions disrespectful. A state may not hold its own view of the flag nor prohibit expressive

In Texas v. Johnson, it deals with Barbara’s views, due to the fact that the judge is faced with a choice which involves the First Amendment. In this article someone burned an American flag, and is now facing trials

the yellow trenches,/ Raged at his breast, gulped and died” (1066). Crane is desperately trying to let the society to see that it is not masculine to literally gasp for air as their lungs were destroyed by gas or ravaged by bullets, however, it is evident that nobody will listen because “War is kind” (1066). The American flag is also used to be a symbol for the masculine citizen as well, as there is a “Swift, blazing flag of the regiment/ Eagle with crest of red and gold” that is leading the men into battle, the country is their leader and they will lay in “a field where a thousand corpses lie” just to follow the flag into battle. It will be that same flag that will be the “bright splendid shroud” that the dead soldier’s mother will weep on,