Stripes and stars forever, right? Well, what does that mean exactly? The American flag can be seen almost everywhere. From high schools, to the stadium and even in our homes, the American flag is the symbol of all that is good and true in America. When you think of the flag, you usually think of the blood shed for this country. It was eliminated so that we could have freedoms, such as freedom of speech and expression, that are within the First Amendment rights of the Constitution. However, when you think of a burning flag, what comes to mind? You could say it shows disrespect and hatred towards a country that has given so much. In the case Texas v. Johnson, Gregory Lee Johnson was accused of desecrating a sacred object, but his actions were protected by the First Amendment. While his actions may have been offensive, he uttered no fighting words. By burning the flag, Johnson did not violate another's natural human rights. He was simply expressing his outrage at the government, which falls under First Amendment jurisdiction. The colors red, white and blue had no real meaning in America until their rights to freedom and territory were challenged. “The American flag played no significant role in American life until the Civil War, during the fighting at Fort Sumter” (Goldstein 1). Then, for all northerners it became a symbol of pride and an object of "public adoration" (1). The flag was held in such high regard that in 1890 the Flag Protection Movement was created to ensure that the object was not commercialized(2). The FPM felt as if politicians and merchants were "prostituting" the flag so, in 1900, they joined the American Flag Association and created a set... middle of paper... ot, it allows us to express ourselves freely and share our uniqueness with others. It is this right and this freedom that allow us to be free in our daily words and actions. So, ask yourself, if this right were limited, would this be the “land of the free and home of the brave?” "The words of the First Amendment are simple and majestic: 'Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech. ' The proposed constitutional amendment would undermine that fundamental freedom." - Senator Ted KennedyWorks quoted Goldstein, Robert Justin. Burn the flag. Ohio: The Kent State University Press, 1996.(A) "A Brief History of Flag Burning." Esquilax. 4 pp. Online. Internet. November 16, 1999.(B) "Texas v. Johnson Certiorari in the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals." Blacula. (1989): 20 pp. Online. Internet. November 16. 1999.