Abstract Many times in our nation's history, Congress has introduced a bill that would prohibit the desecration of flags. Each time, however, the Supreme Court ruled that this act was protected by First Amendment free speech rights. The debate on this topic continues, with both sides advocating "the good of the country." In a landmark 1943 Supreme Court case, Justice Robert H. Jackson wrote, “The freedom to differ is not limited to things that do not matter much.” " (qtd. in Jacoby el al. 20). This concept can be applied in the debate over whether the Constitution should be amended to ban flag burning. When considering the Constitution and the symbolic meaning of the United States flag, one can see that this is an issue that means a lot to the American public. The freedom to differ is of extreme importance in this case, which can be seen if one examines the reasons for committing such an act and what it might mean beyond the desecration of a revered national symbol. The burning of an American flag is not necessarily un-American or unpatriotic. Sometimes, the grandeur and majesty of the flag is best represented in the powerful political and social statement of destroying it the sense of the American people that their government is not the body it should be or that it is not doing the will of the people This is probably one of the most exciting actions they can take to get the government's attention. Some of these protesters may even love the flag as much as those who favor a ban on flag burning, but the burners want to underline the seriousness of their complaint. The act of burning a flag may be people's way of telling the government it's like...... paper ......://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/7226/ ( Nov. 11, 1998).Relin, David Oliver. "A burning question." School update September 21, 1990: 5-6pm. “Senate Debate on Flag Burning: Senator Feingold (D-WI).” Esquilax Productions: The page that burns flags. December 8, 1995. http://www.esquilax.com/flag/feingold.html (November 11, 1998). "Speaking with one voice." Citizens Flag Alliance. December 12, 1997. http://www.cfa-inc.org/edit8.htm (November 12, 1998). “Statement of George E. Bushnell, Jr. President of the American Bar Association.” Esquilax Productions: The page that burns flags. http://www.esquilax.com/flag/news9.html (11 November 1998). Wall, James M. “The Dynamics of Flag-Burning.” The Christian Century 106 (1989): 643-44."Where is the Rehnquist Court headed?" Harper's June 1989: 35-39, 42, 44-47."Who is desecrating the flag?" The Christian century 84 (1967): 771-72.