The Argument Against Burning The American Flag

In 1969, the Supreme Court of the United States (U.S. Supreme Court) put forth rules allowing the burning of the flag to be protected under the First Amendment. The U. S. Supreme Court first ruled on flag discretion in 1907 in the Halter v. Nebraska case. Prior to this ruling flag discretion statues strictly prohibited the burning of the American flag , as well as, disrespecting the flag in any way shape or form. In 1968, Congress reacted to the burning of the American flag in New York during a protest against the Vietnam War by passing the Federal Flag Desecration Law. In a few court cases it has been declared that burning the American flag is only illegal if the flag has been stolen. When a flag is worn/torn the proper way of disposing of the flag is to burn it; however, when disposing of a flag by burning it there are steps that should be followed in order to do so honorably. The flag should be folded in its customary manner and then placed on a fire that is fairly large with sufficient intensity to ensure complete burning of the flag. After placing the flag on the fire all individuals should come to attention, salute the flag while reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and observing a brief moment of silence. Once the flag has been completely consumed the fire should be safely extinguished and the ashes should be buried. Congress has made seven attempts to overrule the Supreme Court decision regarding the burning of the American flag by passing a constitutional amendment that had an exception to the First Amendment and allowed the government to ban flag desecration. (Thelawdictionary.org,

A public flag burning in protest of a recently enacted law and the advertisement for potato chips found on a billboard are protected by the First Amendment's Free Speech Clause. The behavior of the flag burning is protected under the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech (Hall, 2015). Consequently, the flag burning is considered an expression of one's symbolic speech. The Supreme Court ruled that flag burning is protected under the First Amendment (Hall, 2015). This right applies to protest, demonstrations, performances, advertisements, artistic endeavors all of these are means of expression (Hall, 2015). Notwithstanding, this protects the advertisement on a billboard. The First Amendment protect commercial speech, such as advertising,

Through the years of America, there have been multiple accounts of flag desecration. Flag desecration is a term that is used to describe a various set of acts that intentionally destroy, damage, or mutilate a flag in public, and in this case, the American flag. Citizen’s typically doing this treasonous act when they want to make a political point against their country or policies in the country or another country. Some of these actions include: burning it, urinating or defecating on it, defacing it with slogans, stepping upon it, damaging it with stones or guns, cutting or ripping it, verbally insulting it, or dragging it on the ground. A few countries have laws that forbid the methods or just uses of this

As to whether the first amendment, from the very constitution that was made to protect freedom of expression, should protect flag burning. Flag burning has been a way in which people have been able to symbolize their feelings towards a certain event or topic. This use of symbolism should be protected by the first amendment, because it is a form of expression, which the first amendment protects, and the American people are not affected by this in a way that will harm them.

Your First Amendment rights are extremely close to being violated by none other than the United States Congress. I refer to the Flag Desecration Bill that, if passed, would do irreparable damage to our right to free speech and undermine the very priniciples for which the American flag stands. Fortunately, West Virginians have an ally in Sen. Robert C. Byrd. Sen. Byrd, who previously favored the bill, now fights to protect our rights by stopping the passage of this bill. I applaud his stand and want to reinforce his position. I also encourage you to join Sen. Byrd's campaign to ensure the legacy and supremacy of the greatest law in the land: the United States Constitution.

When you see the American flag, what is the first thing that pops into your head? Is it a war? A relative? A political leader? What? For me, I usually think of the Star Spangled Banner. I grew up on a military base in Germany. If the flag were being raised or lowered, you would see soldiers, and even civilians, standing at attention, saluting the flag. In a parade, as the flag was being carried in front by one of the brigades, everyone held his or her hand over his or her heart as the flag passed that person. Even in the theaters, before the movie would start, the Star Spangled Banner would be played while scenes of American flags in battles and peacetime were on the screen and everyone would stand, either at attention or with

Protesters have burned the flag in many protests to say that “America is going down in flames” according to one college student during a protest on the D.C. college campus (Kopan). It has been a method used since the vietnam war for protesters to say what they need to say. It has been an issue that congress has been working on for years to resolve on whether or not flag burning should be banned or not. Many say it should and I agree but legally they can not bane it because it is a form of speech and to do so would mean going against the constitution which would lead to many more protests (Svrluga).

“The US flag is a symbol of great pride” (Hills 2016). Ethan D. Hill from the University of Georgia states this, just as all Americans should know this. The American flag is a representation for the strength and power of this country and all that it has gone through. With that being said, not everyone sees the American flag in this way. Some take it upon themselves to show firsthand disrespect to the flag in desecrating it. Desecration is the act of burning something, in this case it is burning the flag that symbolizes the freedom of this great nation. It is obvious to most that this act should be illegal, seeing as there is no reason good enough to hurt the country in this way; however, some Americans believe otherwise.

acceptable to have a "narrow, special amendment to protect a special flag from desecration." ("Consequences" 2). Even Thomas Jefferson and James Madison denounced flag burning as a crime (Brady H 2). Others feel that flag desecration disrespects those who lost their lives for our country, stating the flag symbolizes the blood that runs through our country. George Whalen, a soldier, said "the stars and stripes of our nations flag is the symbol of our nation's values... It represents loyalty patriotism and love of our country." ("citizens" 3). Those against flag desecration must remember that the men and women who fought and died for our country were fighting for justice, freedom, and independence, all of which give one the right to desecrate the flag. Yes, the flag represents these freedoms, but the

American soldiers burn the flag only when it is torn to pieces and is not capable to fly anymore. The flag should never be thrown in the garbage under any circumstances. Flag burning in the army is a much more honorable option than just throwing it away in the garbage. Our military does everything in their power to protect our flag but if the flag gets torn so bad in war they will have a flag burning

The thought of the flag burning in my head makes me wonder what would make someone come to such an action. The reasons I believe that the burning of the flag is freedom of speech, it’s to show ones anger against the government and its actions toward the public and to the American citizens. Protecting the flag from Desecration is against free speech. The flag its self represents are right to freedom and to the pursuit happiness. There for burning the flags is in its self a sign that one’s freedom has been taken.

Flag burning has been one of the most controversial forms of nonviolent protests. It is often linked with the Middle East and Hezbollah with depictions of Arabs against President Bush burning the American flag. Americans are intimidated and threatened by this action, but that does not make it illegal. Supreme Court rulings have upheld that peaceful flag desecration is a form of political speech that should be protected by our Constitution (Flag Burning Myths). This decision is the most logical. Even with all of the disruption this act may cause, flag burning should not be banned.

As stated in The Law Dictionary, “The Supreme Court of the United States in its decision from 1969 has ruled that the burning of the flag is protected by the First Amendment.” Besides the freedom of expression and speech, this includes the freedom to protest and petition; if we have changed those rights, it would seem like a waste of what they have been fighting for. The flag is just a symbol, but really, it's what the Constitution that really counts. The oath is not to "Protect the Flag" instead to "Preserve and Defend the Constitution of the United States.” The flag is just a person’s property and they can do whatever they want with it. The First Amendment lets people say and express things how they wish and so long as they don't harm others in the process, the flag burning should be

Historically, flags were utilized mainly in warfare. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, flags serve as identifiers of one’s sovereign state, community, organization, armed force, or office. Dance ministries in Black churches tend to use a range of colored flags which all invoke different feelings in worship. The color white in Christianity tends to signify purity, righteousness, and holiness (Gilyard). The largest version of the flag was the standard; because of its size, it was usually stationary and used to “mark the position of an important individual before a battle, during a siege, throughout a ceremony, or at a tournament” (Encyclopædia Britannica). In particular, the white flag is universally accepted as a symbol of truce or surrender.

A disagreement has come up between the people of the United States concerning the treatment and use of its flag. Many of its citizens have resorted to the burning of the flag to prove points concerning issues in the country. Others have berated those that have burned it on the grounds that it disrespects those before them. Those that have observed the issue have also to weigh the situation based on further information. The people of the US are concerned about the civil war that has arisen between itself regarding Old Glory.