On June 27, 1989, President George H. W. Bush stated that “flag burning is wrong … burning the flag goes too far and I want to see that matter remedied.” He added that “support for the First Amendment need not extend to desecration of the American flag.” These quotes by former President Bush refer to the Texas v. Johnson Supreme Court case that ruled that flag burning was a protected act of speech under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. The controversial 5-4 ruling by the Supreme Court demonstrates a fundamental cornerstone of American government as specified by the First Amendment: the importance of freedom. Although the concept of freedom under the First Amendment may sound universally appealing, its power has been misconstrued, used to discriminate and infringe on the rights of others. Especially in the current Trump era, I’ve seen an increase in claims of anti- conservative and anti- religious oppression . Contrary to some naysayers, the First Amendment does have its limitations and does not act as a free pass to discriminate against others. Jessica Ko / Daily Nexus The First Amendment is a part of the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments of […]
