Argumentative Essay: Stop Burning The American Flag !

Stop Burning the American Flag! Ronald Reagan once said, “When we honor our flag we honor what we stand for as a Nation - freedom, equality, justice, and hope.” The Texas v. Johnson case is a vast problem that seems to be overpowering in today’s society. Since the case began there have been flag burnings all over the country, and no one seems to be concerned since people are not getting disciplined. People should not be burning the flag that so many people fight and lost their lives for. The burning of the American flag should not be protected by the First Amendment. Gregory Lee Johnson was convicted of burning the flag in violation of the Texas Law. After a march, he burned the flag in protest during the 1984 Republican National Convention. No one was hurt during this demonstration. Cornell University stated in an article, “Johnson was convicted of desertion of a venerated object in violation of Texas statute.” Johnson's actions were protected by the First Amendment so he was not sent to prison as stated in the United States Supreme Court case Texas v Johnson. His actions against the flag should have been more severe. Since Johnson’s actions were not threatening the branches of peace, there was no threat in the moment. “... and since the

Johnson case, more and more people are taking advantage of the outcome. The results of people's actions are not just burning the flag, they are disrespecting the symbol of unity as a whole. For example, a teacher from Massey Hill Classical High School in North Carolina stepped on the flag during a freedom of speech lesson. “His goal, he said, was to teach them about how the country’s free speech protection have evolved over time” (Hawkins). There are other ways to demonstrate to children how protected their freedom of speech is. This action caused an upset among students. Some students are in conflict on how to feel with the demonstration. People should not be disrespecting the flag for any