Burning Flags

 

I remember long ago reading about a case, where a man burnt an American flag in protest.  It took place outside Dallas City Hall, during Reagan’s Republican National Convention in Dallas in 1984.  The man was arrested for desecrating the American flag, and appealed his case up to the Supreme Court.

The case was Texas vs. Gregory Lee Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989.)  It decided that flag burning was protected speech, under the First Amendment of the US Constitution.  It overturned the laws that outlawed any desecration of the American flag.  Laws that were in effect in 48 of the 50 states at the time. See more at Wikipedia article Texas vs Johnson. It stated that government could not prohibit “expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable.” Per Britannica.com article.

The recent controversy over “divisive” subjects being taught in school, such as “critical race theory,” seems to me, to be the same sort of patriotic tempest in a teapot.

An interesting July 7, 2021 Facebook post by Heather Cox Richardson, a political historian, talks about a recent book reading.  The book was called “Forget the Alamo,” an obvious play on words, defying the resounding patriotism of “Remember the Alamo!” a slogan taught as history, to children of my vintage.

She notes how people reacted with outrage, to a narrative that, in academic circles, had long been considered established history.  I guess it offended their sensibilities, because it contradicted what they had been taught as children. Heaven forbid, that what we teach as History should ever change. (Sarcasm.)  In this instance, the book reading was cancelled because it was deemed too upsetting. Also in Texas, as it happens.

In the Facebook post she goes on to explain, that subjects which provoke this kind of outrage now have a name: “divisive.” Bills have been drafted to combat this kind of subversive attack on our traditional patriotic values. (Sarcasm.)   I found Florida’s, which was introduced in April. Think tanks are behind the language.  They provide pre-packaged versions of this legislation, and so many others.  All the legislator has to do is introduce it and pass it.  I’m not sure if ours was passed or not, but I do know that  school rules were changed to achieve similar ends.  And a local school teacher was held up to ridicule, for openly supporting Black Lives Matter.

The parallels between flag burning and outlawing subjects of discussion in school seem ripe, for poetry.  Hope you enjoy!

 

Legislatures

Make the law,

Or so their Latin

Roots imply.

 

Instigators

Sink their claws,

And write their copy,

On the sly.

 

Copycats,

In fancy three-piece

Suits, ideas

Introduce,

 

Word-for-word

From think-tank cronies,

Offering red meat,

To seduce.

 

Burning flags

Is not a passion

Many have,

That I have known.

 

Yet, this powder

Keg upon

The burning pyre

Is always thrown.

 

So, “devisive”

Topics may

No longer grace

The hallowed halls

 

Of schools, where they

Might cause a stir,

Provoke disgrace,

And shame us all.

 

Burning flags,

At rallies

Most political,

Were silent Speech.

 

Teaching race, or

Sex, or class, implies

The teacher’s

Free to teach.

 

What’s the harm,

In either practice?

We’ve forgot

Our history.

 

Our foundation’s

Built on broken

Shards of false

Idolatry.

 

Copyright 2021 Andrea LeDew

 

For an opinion piece on heading back to school during COVID, read Falling Behind.

For other poetic treatises on the law, read A Vote and The Wardrobe of Kings and Suddenly SIlent.