Freedom of Speech

Conviction of protester for burning American flag as part of political demonstration held to violate Federal Constitution's First Amendment. While the 1984 Republican National Convention was taking place in Dallas, Texas, a group of people staged a political demonstration in Dallas to protest the policies of the President of the United States, who was being nominated by the Convention for re-election. One of the protesters (the defendant) accepted an American flag handed to him by a …

…to be protected at all cost, even though it means allowing thoughts and ideas in our society that are obviously distasteful. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Hugo LaFayette Black once said, “My view is, without deviation, without exception, without any ifs, buts, or whereases, that freedom of speech means that you shall not do something to people either for the views they have or the views they express or the words they speak or write.”