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The Symbolic Nature Of The First Amendment's Freedom Of Speech

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• 1984- Outside of the Republic National Convention, Gregory Lee Johnson burned an American flag
• Johnson was showing his disagreement of president Ronald Reagan’s policies
• He was arrested and charged for the desecration of a venerated object
• Tried in court
• Argued that under the first amendment he is protected for “symbolic speech”
• Case was taken to the supreme court where they sided with Johnson
• Justice Stevens argued that the symbolic nature of the American flag should outweigh the first amendment’s freedom of speech

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