Facts
Gregory Lee Johnson burned an American flag outside of the convention center where the 1984 Republican National Convention was being held in Dallas, Texas. Johnson burned the flag to protest the policies of President Ronald Reagan. He was arrested and charged with violating a Texas statute that prevented the desecration of a venerated object, including the American flag, if such action were likely to incite anger in others. A Texas court tried and convicted Johnson. He appealed, arguing that his actions were "symbolic speech" protected by the First Amendment. The Supreme Court agreed to hear his case.
Issue
Whether flag burning constitutes "symbolic speech" protected by the First Amendment.
Ruling
Yes.
Reasoning
(5-4)
The majority of the Court, according to Justice William Brennan, agreed with Johnson and held that flag burning constitutes a form of "symbolic speech" that is protected by the First Amendment. The majority noted that freedom of speech protects actions that society may find very offensive, but society's outrage alone is not justification for suppressing free speech.
In particular, the majority noted that the Texas law discriminated upon viewpoint, i.e., although the law punished actions, such as flag burning, that might arouse anger in others, it specifically exempted from prosecution actions that were respectful of venerated objects, e.g., burning and burying a worn-out flag. The majority said that the government could not discriminate in this manner based solely upon viewpoint.
Dissent
Justice Stevens
Writing for the dissent, Justice Stevens argued that the flag's unique status as a symbol of national unity outweighed "symbolic speech" concerns, and thus, the government could lawfully prohibit flag burning.
destruction of the ottoman empire and losses of all the land but anatolia
This emergent again was a reflex action against the industrialization, urbanization, and immigration
<u>Explanation:</u>
The Ku Klux Clan is a racial organization who is racists and they are people who brutally murder people of different race. They emerged this time again in 1920’s showing their full vengeance against the Afro-Americans, Jews, and Catholics.
They wished to keep the Afro-Americans in permanent subjugation below the Whites.The Klan’s men were white protestant people who felt that the immigrants took away the jobs and caused a racial impurity among the white Americans. The KKK were at the peak during the Indiana politics and it was a native borne with whites of different social and economic level.
John Locke argued that all humans are born with the natural rights to:
- life
- liberty
- property
- reproduce
Italian, Spanish, and French.
Hope this helped, have a great day! :D
