...Texas v. Johnson: The Flag Burning Case In 1984 outside of a Dallas, Texas, Gregory Johnson was protesting Ronald Reagan’s policies outside of the Republican National Convention. Johnson was a member of the Revolutionary Communist Youth Brigade, where members would gather and destroy property in an protest called “War Chest Tours.” As the members reached Dallas City Hall, Johnson poured kerosene on a stolen flag and burned it. Johnson was taken into custody and charged with violating a Texas law that prohibits the vandalization of respected objects. During his sentence, he appealed his conviction in the Fifth Court of Appeals of Texas which he lost, and then in the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, where his conviction was overturned because they said flag burning was protected under the first amendment. Since this sparked...
Words: 532 - Pages: 3
...Kaplan University Texas V. Johnson PA205-01 Texas v. Johnson Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397, 109 S.Ct. 2533, 105 L.Ed.2d 242, Argued in 1989. From case, Since the State of Texas conceded that the actions of burning the flag were expressive conduct, the Court had to decide whether the State's regulation of flag burning related to suppression of free speech in order to determine which standard to apply. Then the Court had to decide whether the State had an interest in regulating the speech, which overrode the First Amendment protections. Facts that Triggered the Dispute while the Republican National Convention was meeting in Dallas, Texas, in 1984, Gregory Johnson took part in a demonstration, protesting policies of the Reagan administration. During the demonstration, Johnson burned an American flag, and Dallas police arrested him. According to US court, Gregory Lee Johnson was arrested and convicted of desecrating a flag in violation of Texas law, a conviction which questions ones guaranteed First Amendment, constitutional rights. Johnson's involvement in a political demonstration in Dallas, lead him to express his political concerns with the nation leaders and governmental policies. The State of Texas' conviction of Johnson was carried out due to Johnson's conduct, a physically expressive act, rather than a written or spoken one and based on two criteria: a responsibility to preserve the integrity of the flag representing the strength, pride and unity of our nation...
Words: 1205 - Pages: 5
...President Reagan’s policies. While the group was mostly marching because of the convention; there were also several companies that they were targeting. When at one of the companies one member took the American flag and handed it to Gregory Lee Johnson who then proceeded to burn the flag. He was then arrested for desecration of property on a 1 year sentence and two-thousand dollar fine. Johnson then appealed to the Fifth Court of Appeals of Texas but lost. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals would then see his case. This was the highest court in Texas that would see Criminal Appeals he then won on a 5-4 majority. The reasoning that the court used for overturning was not the fact of vandalism, but that it’s his freedom of speech. When taking this case into consideration; the looked at whether freedom of speech covered non-speech acts, if Johnson was using expressive conduct when burning the flag. They decided that it did indeed did cover non-verbal because of cases like Stromberg v. California and Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District. They also decided that it was indeed expressive behavior because he did in front the Republic National Convention with overly expressive and apparent behavior. I think that while the case for Johnson makes sense it should be by no means that he is let off the hook. He should probably be found for conspiracy. Considering it was a communist group and it was only a decade or so from the height of the cold war. I do think though that...
Words: 327 - Pages: 2
...Analysis of Tone for Texas v. Johnson and American Flag Stands for Tolerance The tones of Texas v. Johnson and American Flag Stands for Tolerance are exact opposite of each other in order to fit the context for which they were written. The tone of Texas v. Johnson is very formal. The Supreme Court use the word decline instead of reject to create a formal tone since decline is less harsh and more polite compared to reject. The word create implies great load of work and makes it seem untechnical to punish people for burning the American flag. Another word that the Supreme Court uses to make their decision harder to go against is fortified. It makes their defense stronger. Submit also makes it harder for the people to disagree with...
Words: 404 - Pages: 2
...Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397, 1989 Procedural Background: Gregory Johnson appealed his conviction to the Court of Appeals and lost. Johnsons then proceeded to appeal his case to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and they reversed the decision and the case was sent to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court viewed the case and overturned Johnson’s conviction. Facts: The defendant, Gregory Lee Johnson, took part in a demonstration that took place at the Republican National Convention in Texas in 1984. During a time in this nonviolent demonstration Johnson was given an American flag which he set on fire. Nobody was injured while the flag was burning, but Johnson was convicted of destroying a respected object. Johnson appealed his conviction and the Courts of Appeals for the Fifth District of Texas and lost. He then proceeded to take his case to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and his conviction was overturned. The court contended that Johnson could not be punished for his exercising his right to free speech (the First Amendment). In 1989, the Supreme Court took the case and with a 5-4 vote affirmed the Texas Court of...
Words: 527 - Pages: 3
...Court Case Research Paper Texas v. Johnson The American flag. It’s arguably the most iconic American symbol. Even our national anthem includes the reference“whose broad stripes and bright stars”. In this song, lyricist Francis Scott Key isn't just mentioning how the flag looked at the time. He’s alluding to a deeper meaning. This flag is not only a symbol of a country, but of a brave and heroic people who defend their country’s citizens and freedoms. This illustrates the sacrality of the flag- it represents a lot more than miles of land. It represents thousands of lives lost for American citizens of all ages, colors and genders, and thousands of more lives that will be lost. The American flag is a venerated object, a national treasure- and it should be treated as such. However, Gregory Lee Johnson had a different opinion. Johnson’s unpatriotic actions in the state of Texas led to the infamous court case of Texas v. Johnson....
Words: 1214 - Pages: 5
...The case Texas v. Johnson obviously had made a hit in America in 1984. Gregory Lee Johnson, who was the leader of the revolutionary communist youth brigade, was unsatisfied with the government at that time. And thus he and his partners protested against the bias of the Republic, for the simple reason that those large enterprises have more and more benefits. They were so angry at that time, and then Johnson burned a national flag in front of the government building. The witnesses were so hurt emotionally, and one of them picked up the broken pieces and then buried them in his backyard. The police arrested Johnson afterward and charged him with violating a state law in Texas. The law prohibited the blasphemy of venerated object, including...
Words: 504 - Pages: 3
...Texas vs Johnson Analysis The name of case we are analyzing is the case of Texas vs Johnson. This events that lead to Johnson being brought to court was that he participated in an demonstration against then President Reagan’s policies. Once the political protest reached Dallas City Hall ,Johnson was then was handed an American Flag which he then doused in kerosene and set it alight, luckily, no one was harmed during this flag burning but some bystanders were seriously offended by the flag burning.This case was brought upon Gregory Lee Johnson as he was charged with desecration of a venerated object which violated the Texas Penal Code. He was then convicted and sentenced to one year in prison and received a fine $2,000. The original plaintiff...
Words: 727 - Pages: 3
...CABRERA, CHIASSON, & HALL, LLP CERTIFIED ACCOUNTANTS • BUSINESS CONSULTANTS INDEPENDENT AUDITORS RECOMMENDATION ON COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT BURLESON, TX YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2014 AUDITORS ADBEEL CABRERA KIMBERLY CHIASSON CLIFTON HALL CITY OF BURLESON, TX AUDITOR’S REPORT We have audited the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report of the City of Burleson as well as conducted field inspections and additional independent research. Our responsibility is to express an opinion and recommend appropriate and efficient use of funds. ------------------------------------------------- DEMOGRAPHICS Nestled between Fort Worth and Cleburne along the Interstate 35W corridor, Burleson is a charming, growing community offering a unique blend of metropolitan, suburban, and rural living. Fort Worth is approximately twelve miles to the north and there are approximately 28,000 acres of undeveloped land within the city limits and ETJ (extra-territorial jurisdiction). The city is conveniently located within minutes of Interstate 35W, Interstate 20, and Hwy 67 making the location attractive to both businesses and citizens. The population of Burleson has increased 43.6% between 2005 and 2014 and is expected to increase another 59% by 2030. In 2014, 413 new home permits were issued with an average value over $201,000 and several new apartment complexes are being constructed. Burleson has a median age of 33, an education level of 14.2, and an unemployment rate...
Words: 1075 - Pages: 5
...Sexual Revolution Evolution Intimacy is not free in the modern world. Political change, social change, systems of oppression, and globalization all contribute to the shape and to the limit of people’s intimate lives. The oppressive regulation of marriage and sexuality by states and cultures can really affect intimacy and incite sexual revolutions. In feminist studies Professor Leila Rupp’s lecture, Tickell and Peck were cited as defining globalization as a notion based on an increasingly borderless market, where market rules and competitive logics predominate. In another lecture, Rupp stated that sexual revolutions are linked to and caused by: globalization, economic forces, technology and culture. Rupp expresses that many changes in behavior and attitude have been related to these factors. Many sexual revolutions according to Rupp are caused by resistance to oppressive governmental and cultural regulation of sexuality and the diverse ways that people, both individually and collectively, resist regulation and bring about change. People are agents and resist individually and collectively the perils of oppression. Two sexual revolutions addressed were that that took place in the United States in the 1910’s and the 1960’s. Gender roles were extremely limiting and constricting especially from the perspective of many females. Females were limited to household jobs and conservative dress in addition to their overall conservative behavior. On top of women’s restrictions behaviorally...
Words: 983 - Pages: 4
...Young University's (BYU's) J. Reuben Clark Law School. And Smith seemed to be following the lead of a current BYU law professor, Lynn Wardle, who not only teaches at Smith's alma mater but whose name also appears in the "Counsel Listing" on the Prop 8 case in his capacity with the anti-gay Marriage Law Project at BYU's law school. Professor Wardle is notorious for anti-gay rhetoric that includes comparing gay people with rapists, child molesters, and drunk drivers. Meanwhile, earlier this week, the CEO of the largest affiliated controlling shareholder of my law school made a video supporting equal marriage rights. Following Professor Wardle's lead at his alma mater, Judge Smith gratuitously quoted Antonin Scalia's dissent in Lawrence v. Texas (in other words, Scalia's losing position in that case), the case that struck down all sodomy laws among consenting adults in the U.S., in Smith's Prop 8 dissent. Why? So Smith could copy Wardle's and Scalia's invective by comparing same-sex couples seeking to be married in California with people who engage in "adult incest ... [and] bestiality" as apparently similar "moral choices." But Smith's dissent transparently...
Words: 568 - Pages: 3
...Stephenson’s case does not require this Court to decide any moral or ethical dilemmas regarding how people should, or may, accept or confront their own death. Rather, it is this Court’s responsibility to recognize that citizens have a constitutionally protected right in making significant life decisions for themselves, such as hastening one’s own death or asking another for help in the same, without the umbrella of judicial or legislative imposition. The beginning of this case should be examined similar to that of Roe v Wade 410 U.S. 113, in the reproductive rights context. Under the liberty protected by substantive due process under the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, states should be permitted to regulate, not prohibit, physician assisted death. “The liberty protected by due process covers more than those freedoms explicitly named in the Bill of Rights…But such liberty can be limited if the state shows a compelling interest (not just a legitimate one)” Roe v. Wade 410 U.S. 113. States do possess a ‘compelling interest’ in preventing citizens from unnecessary death. However, this power extends to protecting the citizens from irrational, ill informed, or pressured decisions in that capacity. To that end, states do have the power to regulate and limit the...
Words: 1003 - Pages: 5
...Πρόλογος: Η εκάστοτε κυβέρνηση είναι αυτή που καθορίζει τους κανόνες, βάσει των οποίων η κάθε επιχείρηση λειτουργεί. Ξεκινώντας με αυτό, είναι εμφανές ότι η η επιρροή της κυβέρνησης, με τους διάφορους κανονισμούς που θεσπίζει, είναι σημαντική για τον τρόπο οργάνωσης, λειτουργίας και διεξαγωγής των υπηρεσιών της κάθε επιχείρησης. Πολλοί από αυτούς τους κανονισμούς της κυβέρνησης επηρρεάζουν άμεσα τις επιχειρήσης, είτε θετικά είτε αρνητικά. Εξαιτίας αυτού, οι σχέση της κυβέρνησης με τις επιχειρήσεις, μπορεί να είναι είτε συνεργασίας, είτε «εχθρική» κατά μία έννοια. Οι υπεύθυνοι των επιχειρήσεων, για να είναι σε θέση να εργαστούν με ηθικό και νόμιμο τρόπο, πρέπει να λάβουν υπόψη τους τα όσα επιβάλλει η κυβέρνηση, όχι μόνο στη χώρα τους, αλλά και στο εξωτερικό. Στόχοι: Στόχος της έρευνας αυτής είναι η εξέταση της σχέσης μεταξύ κυβέρνησης και επιχείρησης. Θα αναφερθούν, τόσο τα θετικά όσο και τα αρνητικά της σχέσης αυτής, αναδεικνύοντας τα αποτελέσματα και τις επιπτώσεις από τη σχέση συνεργασίας, αλλά και τη σχέση διαφωνίας και αντιπαράθεσης. Θα αναφερθούν παραδείγματα, με σκοπό την πραγμάτωση των αποτελεσμάτων και επιπτώσεων, παρουσιάζοντας τις άμεσες και έμμεσες επιπτώσεις στην κοινωνία, τις επιχειρήσεις, τους υπαλλήλους και καταναλωτές. Κυρίως μέρος: Σε ορισμένες περιπτώσεις, η κυβέρνηση μπορεί να συνεργαστεί στενά με επιχειρήσεις, ώστε να δημιουργήσουν σχέση συνεργασίας και να επιδιώκουν κοινούς στόχους, όπως για παράδειγμα σε ορισμένες ασιατικές χώρες,όπου η κοινωνία...
Words: 2301 - Pages: 10
...Analyzing a Complex Communication Problem PBRL 495 H1WW-Public Relations and Communications Capstone Professor Cara Keithley Assignment 1-4 Alexis J. Lilly March 30, 2012 The case study that I chose to conduct my analysis on was Case Study 2: Namaste` Solar. This particular case study examined a solar energy firm that was headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. The CEO, Blake Jones, had been toying with the idea of either selling part of the business or selling the firm altogether. Jones and his partners decided that they would need to recruit long-term employees that were dedicated to the solar energy business in order for the company to flourish. Jones and his partners felt that if they hired employees that would have an opportunity to hold equity in the company it could turn into something big, beyond the mere idea of an investment in the solar energy industry. After recruiting more than fifty-five employees, Jones and his partners started to hold (BPM’s) Big Picture Meetings. According to Lawrence et. al (2010), held weekly, BPMs brought together all employees for a full discussion of the issues facing the company, both large and small. All employees were expected to attend the meetings and actively participate in the discussion. The meetings were more geared towards the internal audience, which are the employees at Namaste’ Solar. Some of the trends in current organizations that may impact existing or cause new organizational communication...
Words: 624 - Pages: 3
...A NEW BIRTH OF FREEDOM?: OBERGEFELL V. HODGES Kenji Yoshino The decision in Obergefell v. Hodges1 achieved canonical status even as Justice Kennedy read the result from the bench. A bare majority held that the Fourteenth Amendment required every state to perform and to recognize marriages between individuals of the same sex.2 The majority opinion ended with these ringing words about the plaintiffs: “Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.”3 While Obergefell’s most immediate effect was to legalize same-sex marriage across the land, its long-term impact could extend far beyond this context. To see this point, consider how much more narrowly the opinion could have been written. It could have invoked the equal protection and due process guarantees without specifying a formal level of review, and then observed that none of the state justifications survived even a deferential form of scrutiny. The Court had adopted this strategy in prior gay rights cases.4 Instead, the Court issued a sweeping statement that could be compared to Loving v. Virginia,5 the 1967 case that invalidated bans on in––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law, New York University School of Law. I gratefully acknowledge receiving financial support from...
Words: 15849 - Pages: 64
