Chantay Brooks PHI-105 November 16, 2014 Instructor Benjamin Perlin The American Flag can be seen in many public places. You see it in schools, government building, stores and hanging in our homes. Those stars and strips are a symbol of freedom to many people across the nation. But is also represents civil liberties that became the pillars this country was founded upon. Flag Burning should be legalized because it allows those who feel disenfranchised the freedom of speech, the Constitutional right to protest and in many important instances it holds no Anti –American sentiments. The desecration of the flag has been the topic of debate for many years amongst Judicial Court Justices. For years dating back to 1907, the U.S. Supreme Court It is considered the same as boycotting; sit-ins, protest buttons and burning draft card. These are all considered symbolic speech protected by the United States Constitution’s right to peaceably assemble or demonstrate.( Keifer, 2005, para 3) If we did not have the freedom or right to peaceably assemble where would the civil rights movement be. It is because of courageous people like Martin Luther Jr. who led boycotts to end racism. And others like Alice Paul who led a women’s suffrage parade to bring awareness to the inequality between men and women. (History.com, 2009) It is because of the First Amendments right to protest and demonstrate that one is allowed the freedom to express themselves, but also bring about change. The civil rights era of the 60’s proves that change has come because people decided not to sit down and let change happen without their voices being heard. Those Stars and Stripes evokes many emotions in Americans pride in the democracy it stands for, gratitude for the freedoms it represents and joy in the melting pot our country has always been. (Wisonsin State Journal, 2006, para 1) It is because of that right; we are standing here today with the choice to wave or burn your American flag. It is a personal choice that one must make alone without the guidance or fear of the any law that prohibits freedom of choice. That is one of the ideas that make this nation so great, because we have the right to speak or not, the choice
