Freedom of Expression 1st Amendment Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.[1] 1st Amendment Previous Interpretation: Citizens of the US, as stated in the constitution, are in entitled to specific rights that include but are not limited to, assembly, press, religion, and speech. Current Interpretation: Has stretched to include social media, burning of national symbols, no prayer in school, symbolic gestures, sacrilege, and war time protests. Schenck v. United States 1918 During World War I, Schenck mailed letters to draftees. The letters suggested that the draft was a monstrous wrong motivated by the capitalist system of our government. Charged Schenck with conspiracy for obstructing military recruitment. Question: Are Schenck's actions (words, expression) protected by the free speech clause of the First Amendment? Conclusion: Schenck was not protected in this situation. The character of every act depends on the circumstances. “…a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent." US won. Gitlow v. New York 1922 Gitlow published a communist manifesto for distribution in the United States. 1 9 2 2 Gitlow was charged with plotting to overthrow the United States government.(Criminal Anarchy). The court upheld Gitlow’s conviction. Ironically, the ruling expanded free speech protections for individuals by saying the states could not restrict free speech. Question: Is the New York law punishing advocacy to overthrow the government by force an unconstitutional violation of the free speech clause of the First Amendment? Conclusion: State governments were not allowed to deny their residents the civil and human rights expressed within Constitution. States had abused their powers. Gitlow was also found guilty of accused crimes. New York won. Schneider v. New Jersey 1939 1 9 3 9 A citizen has the right to distribute information to others on the public streets. The appellants were charged with a violation of local ordinance that barred persons from distributing handbills on public streets or handing them out door-to-door. Question: Do the interests of cities in reducing littering justify encroachments upon the First Amendment by banning the hand-to-hand distribution of pamphlets in public places and private residences? Conclusion: No. The cities could regulate dishonest pamphleteering, but could not outlaw the citizen's attempt to pass information to another citizen through the means of passing out written documents. Schneider won. Tinker v. Des Moines 1968 Case involving three minors who wore arm bands to school and were sent home. Sued through their parents. 1 9 6 8 Question: Does a prohibition against the wearing of armbands in public school, as a form of symbolic protest, violate the students' freedom of speech protections guaranteed by the First Amendment? Conclusion: Yes. The school officials must have been able to prove that the conduct in question would “materially and substantially interfere” with the operation of the school. A decision by the United States Supreme Court that defined the constitutional rights of students in U.S. public schools. The Tinker case is still used by courts today to determine whether a school's disciplinary actions violate students' First Amendment rights. Tinker won. United States v. O’Brien 1968 1 9 6 8 David O'Brien burned his draft card at a Boston courthouse as opposition to war. He was convicted under a federal law that made the destruction or mutilation of drafts card a crime. Question: Was the law an unconstitutional infringement of O'Brien's freedom of speech? Conclusion: No. The governmental interest (military draft) is unrelated to the suppression of free expression and is required of all men over 18. US won. Miller v. California 1971 Miller was charged with mailing obscene material to nonparticipating citizens. 1 9 7 1 Miller was found guilty of the misdemeanor of distributing material that could be considered to be objectionable in nature. Question: Is the sale and distribution of obscene materials by mail protected under the First Amendment's freedom of speech guarantee? Conclusion: No. The Court rejected the "utterly without redeeming social value" test of the Memoirs decision. Set the standard for obscene materials in later cases. California won. Wooley v. Maynard 1977 A New Hampshire law required all vehicles to bear license plates containing the state motto "Live Free or Die." 1 9 7 7 George Maynard, a Jehovah's Witness, found the motto to be contrary to his religious and political beliefs and cut the words "or Die" off his plate. Maynard was convicted of violating the state law and was fined and jailed. Question: Did the New Hampshire law unconstitutionally interfere with the freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment? Conclusion: Yes. The Court held that the State's interests in requiring the motto did not outweigh free speech principles under the First Amendment, including "the right of individuals to hold a point of view different from the majority and to refuse to foster. . .an idea they find morally objectionable.“ Maynard Won. Texas v. Johnson 1989 Gregory Lee Johnson burned an American flag as a means of protest against Reagan administration policies. 1 9 8 9 Question: Is the desecration of an American flag, by burning or otherwise, a form of speech that is protected under the First Amendment? Conclusion: Yes. The Court held that Johnson's burning of a flag was protected expression under the First Amendment. “…the Government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable.“ Johnson won. United States v. Eichman 1990 1 9 9 0 Eichman burned a flag on the steps of the US capital protesting governments domestic and foreign. In 1989, Congress passed the Flag Protection Act. Question: Did the Act violate freedom of expression protected by the First Amendment? Conclusion: No. Allowing the flag to be burned in a disposal ceremony but prohibiting protestors from setting it ablaze at a political protest were of the same interest. Eichman won. Virginia v. Black 2003 2 0 0 3 Barry Black, Richard Elliott, and Jonathan O'Mara were convicted separately of violating a Virginia statute by burning a cross in public. Question: Does the Commonwealth of Virginia's crossburning statute, which prohibits the burning of a cross with the intent of intimidating any person or group of persons, violate the First Amendment? Conclusion: Yes. Cross-burning statute is unconstitutional; Virginia statute is unconstitutional. Virginia won. Timeline From The Early Republic To Present Day Tinker v. D.M.I.C.S.D. Schenck v. US 1918 Schneider v. New Jersey 1922 Gitlow v. New York 1939 US v. O’Brien 1968 Wooley v. Maryland 1971 1977 Miller v. California Texas v. Johnson Virginia v. Black 1988 19891990 2003 Texas v. Johnson US v. Eichman Cartoons Multiple Choice Questions Which case declared the statement, “…a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent." ? Schneider v. New Jersey 1939 Virginia v. Black 2003 Miller v. California 1971 Schenck v. United States 1918 Multiple Choice Questions In 1990, which case was ruled where the burning of the national flag was constitutional? United States v. Eichman Wooley v. Maynard Schenck v. United States Gitlow v. New York Multiple Choice Questions Which case stated that “…the Government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable.“? United States v. Eichman Wooley v. Maynard Schenck v. United States Texas v. Johnson Multiple Choice Questions The Court held that the State's interests in requiring the motto did not outweigh free speech principles under the First Amendment, including "the right of individuals to hold a point of view different from the majority and to refuse to foster. . .an idea they find morally objectionable.“ Which case was this? United States v. Eichman Wooley v. Maynard Schenck v. United States Gitlow v. New York Multiple Choice Questions The Court rejected the "utterly without redeeming social value" test of the Memoirs decision. Which case was this? Schneider v. New Jersey 1939 Virginia v. Black 2003 Miller v. California 1971 Schenck v. United States 1918 Free Response Question Choose 2 out of the 4 cases and define what happened, explain the results, and how it applied to todays standards. Schneider v. New Jersey 1939 Virginia v. Black 2003 Miller v. California 1971 Schenck v. United States 1918 Virginia v. Black 2003 Barry Black, Richard Elliott, and Jonathan O'Mara were convicted separately of violating a Virginia statute by burning a cross in public. It was argued that the laws prohibiting the public from burning crosses were unconstitutional and violated the 1st amendment. The courts agreed and they sided with Black. It’s applied to today through religious freedoms and liberties. People are able to express their beliefs without the prosecution from the state and national governments. Miller v. California 1971 Miller was charged with mailing obscene material to nonparticipating citizens. Was vacated and remanded in an effort to shift the burden of obscenity determinations to the state and local courts. Marvin Miller was found guilty of the misdemeanor of distributing material that could be considered to be objectionable in nature. The Court rejected the "utterly without redeeming social value" test of the Memoirs decision. Set the standard for obscene materials in later cases. Works Cited "Western Civilization and Culture." Western Civilization and Culture.Web. 12 Sept. 2014. http://westerncivilizationandculture.blogspot.com Keefe, Mike. "Supreme on Free Speech." Intoon. Running Meter Press,Web. 12 Sept. 2014. http://www.intoon.com/cartoons.cfm/id/81122 MILLER v. CALIFORNIA. The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. 12 September 2014. <http://www.oyez.org/cases/19701979/1971/1971_70_73>. VIRGINIA v. BLACK. The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. 12 September 2014. <http://www.oyez.org/cases/20002009/2002/2002_01_1107>. UNITED STATES v. EICHMAN. The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. 10 September 2014. <http://www.oyez.org/cases/19801989/1989/1989_89_1433>. TEXAS v. JOHNSON. The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. 12 September 2014. <http://www.oyez.org/cases/19801989/1988/1988_88_155>. WOOLEY v. MAYNARD. The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. 10 September 2014. <http://www.oyez.org/cases/19701979/1976/1976_75_1453>. Works Cited TINKER v. DES MOINES INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT. The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. 12 September 2014. <http://www.oyez.org/cases/1960-1969/1968/1968_21>. SCHENCK v. UNITED STATES. The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. 14 September 2014. <http://www.oyez.org/cases/1901-1939/1918/1918_437>. GITLOW v. NEW YORK. The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. 14 September 2014. <http://www.oyez.org/cases/1901-1939/1922/1922_19>. SCHNEIDER v. STATE OF NEW JERSEY. The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. 10 September 2014. <http://www.oyez.org/cases/19011939/1939/1939_11>. WOOLEY v. MAYNARD. The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. 10 September 2014. <http://www.oyez.org/cases/1970-1979/1976/1976_75_1453>. UNITED STATES v. O'BRIEN. The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. 10 September 2014. <http://www.oyez.org/cases/1960-1969/1967/1967_232>. UNITED STATES v. O'BRIEN. The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. 10 September 2014. <http://www.oyez.org/cases/1960-1969/1967/1967_232>