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Flag Burning Persuasive Essay

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The U.S. flag was the symbolic representation of our thriving country, but these days the flag has different value to each of the citizens of our country. Over the past 40 years, we have had many heated debates about whether or not we should allow our flag to be burned. The latest debate about flag burning was sparked after the 2016 presidential election between Hillary Clinton (Democratic nominated candidate) and Donald Trump (Republican nominated candidate), both of which have in the past stated that they would want to ban flag burning and have consequences for those who burn the flag. However, Clinton changes her mind about flag burning during the 2016 presidential and wants it to not be banned, tearing our country in half. Riots have since …show more content…

Constitution states “ prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech”, which is the foundation of our country. Flag burning is an expression of speech that we should not take away from our citizens. As First Amendment Center explains “Dissent plays an important role in a democratic country where the people enter public debate on important issues” (First Amendment Center). Constructive criticism of our government only makes the country a better place to live; over the past 231 years we have made strides in improving our Constitution with constructive criticism from our citizens. We have ended slavery and allowed minorities to vote; all because we listen to the words of our citizens. Flag burning also shows the government that people are displeased with them as First Amendment Center describes “Flag desecration has been a message of dissent since the American Revolution when this nation's colonists burned the British flag, flew it upside down, trampled on it and altered it” (First Amendment Center). Years before the American Revolution, the Americans were fed up with the British Government and showed their displeasure by burning the British flag to tell them that they were dissatisfied by the Government. If the U.S. bans flag burning, citizens will have a harder time to voice their anger toward the government. The government will also miss out great constructive criticism from their citizens, that will further better our

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The general argument made by author William J. Brennan in his work, “Majority Opinion,” is that it is legal to burn the flag if it is a form of political protest. More specifically, Brennan argues that we can not criminally punish people for burning a flag: the only thing we can do is convince them that they are wrong. He writes that they only thing we can do is “ Persuade them that they are wrong.” In this passage, Brennan suggests that criminally punishing a person for burning the flag will decrease the values of the flag by opposing the First Amendment. In conclusion, Brennan’s belief is that we should not punish people for burning the flag, but convince them that they are wrong.

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A 5-to-4 decision held that Johnson's burning of a flag was protected expression under the First Amendment and all charges were dropped. In response to this ruling Congress passed the Flag Protection Act Of 1989. “The act states that ‘whoever knowingly mutilates, defaces, physically defiles, burns, maintains on the floor or ground, or tramples upon any flag of the United States shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.’ The act does not prohibit any conduct consisting of the disposal of a flag when it has become worn or soiled." (1989).

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