What policies did Gregory Lee Johnson protesting?
What policies did Gregory Lee Johnson protesting?
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.
What was the constitutional issue in Texas v Johnson?
Johnson, legal case in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled (5–4) on June 21, 1989, that the burning of the U.S. flag is a protected form of speech under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
What was the dissenting opinion in Texas v Johnson?
5–4 decision The fact that an audience takes offense to certain ideas or expression, the Court found, does not justify prohibitions of speech.
Was Gregory Lee Johnson Democrat or Republican?
Gregory Lee “Joey” Johnson (born 1956) is a political activist affiliated with the Revolutionary Communist Party USA….
| Gregory Lee Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Known for | Defendant in Texas v. Johnson (1989) |
What is the penalty for burning the American flag?
(a) read as follows: “Whoever knowingly casts contempt upon any flag of the United States by publicly mutilating, defacing, defiling, burning, or trampling upon it shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.” Subsec. (b).
Can you burn the American flag under 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.
Why is burning the American flag illegal?
In Texas v. Johnson, the court ruled that the First Amendment protects burning the flag because the act falls within “expressive conduct.” The case started when the defendant, Gregory Johnson, burned the flag to protest the policies of then-President Ronald Reagan. The case made its way to the Supreme Court.
Who dissented in Texas v Johnson?
Justice William Brennan wrote for a five-justice majority in holding that defendant Gregory Lee Johnson’s act of flag burning was protected speech under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution….
| Texas v. Johnson | |
|---|---|
| Dissent | Rehnquist, joined by White, O’Connor |
| Dissent | Stevens |
| Laws applied |
Who won the case in Texas vs Johnson?
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision in favor of Johnson. The high court agreed that symbolic speech – no matter how offensive to some – is protected under the First Amendment.
Is it illegal to hang a flag upside down?
According to U.S. Flag Code, the flag should never be displayed upside-down “except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.”
