Is there a Constitutional right to burning the American Flag? Does the First Amendment give permission to destroy a pronounced symbol into ash? In the Texas vs. Johnson case, 1984, Gregory Lee Johnson burned an American flag in a protest at the Republican National Convention in Dallas, Texas . While Texas argued it as a criminal offense, the Supreme Court argued, along with the First Amendment, that even though the proper treatment of the flag is encouraged, the action could be portrayed as a freedom of speech. So, does a state have a right to uphold it’s own laws, even if they don’t align with the federal law? In favor of Texas, states should be able to defend their own laws to protect the peace, respect the veterans and soldiers who protect
