1. Brennan Novak and Robert Gardner
Texas v. Johnson
Brennan Novak and Robert Gardner

2. What is the constitutional issue involved?
The constitutional issue that was being tried in the Texas v. Johnson case was the 1st amendment. The Texas Court

3. Who were the parties involved?
Gregory Lee Johnson was a man who dropped out of high school in 1971, and decided to join the Marines in Growing up he was raised from a family who influenced him to be in opposition of the Vietnam War. At the time of the crime committed, he lived in Atlanta, Georgia and he traveled to a Republican National Convention that was held in Dallas, Texas.

4. When and where did the case take place?
This case took place in 1984 at a Republican National Convention protest. This protest was being held throughout the streets of Dallas, and eventually traveled outside of the Dallas City Hall.

5. What events led up to the Supreme Court hearing?
A protest was being held at the Dallas City Hall where Gregory Johnson was handed an American flag. He then covered the flag in Kerosene, and set the flag ablaze in protest to the Reagan Administration and certain policies that had been set for many companies based in Dallas. The police arrested Gregory and sentenced him to one year in prison and a $2000 fine for destruction of a respected object.

6. What was occurring in the world for the case to be tried?
Gregory along with many other protesters were marching in retaliation towards the new Ronald Reagan administrations and some of the policies they had set for some of the Dallas based companies.

7. What was the Supreme Court’s ruling?
The Supreme Court ruled that Johnson was not guilty.

8. What reason did the Supreme Court give for the ruling?
The reason the court gave was that Johnson was protected by his first amendment rights to do so and that his actions were symbolic of those rights.

9. Opposing Viewpoints
Other Americans believed that this was extremely disrespectful and offensive to the citizens and veterans of America. They think Johnson should have been found guilty and paid for his offensive crime.

10. How do you feel about the ruling? Why?
I feel that the ruling was just. Though I do not support the burning of the flag as it actually is morally wrong and just completely disrespectful, I believe everyone should have the right to do so as they will in order to show that that is what our country is founded upon; freedom and the freedom to do and say as we please.

11. Why is this case considered a “Landmark”?
This case is considered a landmark because this was one of the first public outbreaks in history where it was spread around everywhere that someone so much as burned an American flag and was tried in court for it.