View source for Texas v. Johnson

== Background ==

Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989), is a landmark decision by the [[Supreme Court of the United States|United States Supreme Court]] that invalidated prohibitions on desecrating the American flag enforced in 48 of the 50 states. The case arose from a political demonstration during the 1984 Republican National Convention in Dallas, Texas, where [[Gregory Lee Johnson|Gregory Lee Johnson]] burned an American flag as a form of protest against the policies of the Reagan administration. Johnson was convicted under a Texas statute that prohibited the desecration of a venerated object, including the American flag, if such action was likely to incite anger in others.

== Legal Context ==

The legal question at the heart of Texas v. Johnson was whether flag burning constitutes "symbolic speech" protected by the [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment]]. The First Amendment guarantees freedoms concerning religion, expression, assembly, and the right to petition. It forbids Congress from both promoting one religion over others and restricting an