Changes

The '''Flag of the United States''' has sometimes been used in symbolic defacement, often in protest of the policies of the [[America]]n [[U.S. government|government]], both within the country and abroad.

The '''Flag of the United States''' has sometimes been used in symbolic defacement, often in protest of the policies of the [[America]]n [[U.S. government|government]], both within the country and abroad.

In 1862, during the Union army's occupation of New Orleans in the American Civil War, the military governor, Benjamin Franklin Butler, sentenced William B. Mumford to death for removing an American flag. Today, defacing a flag is an act of protected speech under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, as established in Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989), and reaffirmed in U.S. v. Eichman, 496 U.S. 310 (1990).

In 1862, during the Union army's occupation of New Orleans in the American Civil War, the military governor, Benjamin Franklin Butler, sentenced William B. Mumford to death for removing an American flag. Today, defacing a flag is an act of protected speech under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, as established in [[Texas v. Johnson]], 491 U.S. 397 (1989), and reaffirmed in [[U.S. v. Eichman]], 496 U.S. 310 (1990).

After these decisions, several "flag burning" amendments to the Constitution have been proposed. Any amendment to the US Constitution must first be passed by Congress and be ratified by a 75% majority, 38 of the 50 states. On June 22, 2005, a flag burning amendment was passed by the House with the needed two thirds majority. On June 27, 2006, the most recent attempt to pass a ban on flag burning was rejected by the Senate in a close vote of 66 in favor, 34 opposed, one vote short of the two-thirds majority needed to send the amendment to be voted on by the states.<ref>[[Boston Globe]] [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/06/28/flag_burning_amendment_fails_by_a_vote/ ''Flag-burning amendment fails by a vote'']</ref>.

After these decisions, several "flag burning" amendments to the Constitution have been proposed. Any amendment to the US Constitution must first be passed by Congress and be ratified by a 75% majority, 38 of the 50 states. On June 22, 2005, a flag burning amendment was passed by the House with the needed two thirds majority. On June 27, 2006, the most recent attempt to pass a ban on flag burning was rejected by the Senate in a close vote of 66 in favor, 34 opposed, one vote short of the two-thirds majority needed to send the amendment to be voted on by the states.<ref>[[Boston Globe]] [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/06/28/flag_burning_amendment_fails_by_a_vote/ ''Flag-burning amendment fails by a vote'']</ref>.

[[Category: United States]]

[[Category:United States]]