2.  Gregory Lee Johnson burned an American flag as
means of protest against Reagan Administration
Policies

3.  Stated that this was a violation of the first
amendment

4.  Is the desecration of an American flag, by burning or
otherwise, a form of speech that is protected under
the First Amendment?

5.  March 21, 1989: goes to Supreme Court
 June 21, 1989: final decision is made
 District court: sentenced Johnson to a year and $2,000
fine
 Court of Appeals: affirmed this decision
 Court of Criminal Appeals: reversed decision and
sends it to the Supreme Court

6.  Burning of a flag is protected under your first
amendment right
 State could not criminally sanction flag desecration in
order to preserve the flag as a symbol of national
unity

7.  Tedford, Thomas L., and Dale A. Herbeck. "Texas v.
Johnson (1989)." Boston College. Strata Publishing Inc.
Web. 07 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/comm/free_spee
ch/texas.html>.
 TEXAS v. JOHNSON. The Oyez Project at IIT
Chicago-Kent College of Law. 03 March 2012. <http://
www.oyez.org/cases/1980-1989/1988/1988_88_155>.