Burning the American Flag

What is the meaning of the various images of the flag as they are used in Paragraph 1 of the Counterpoint essay?

• They show times when the flag made the United States stronger by representing its unity as a nation.

• They are all examples of the flag being used in military combat.

• It presents the history of the American flag from when it was first made.

• They are all flags that were eventually burned in protest.

How does the author of the Point essay argue against a potential law that would ban flag burning in Paragraph 5?

• The author says they would support a law banning flag burning if it made exceptions for t-shirts, plates and napkins.

• The author implies that people could be arrested simply for accidentally lighting a napkin or paper plate on fire.

• The author shows that Franklin Roosevelt wanted to protect flag burning.

• The author suggests that a flag burning law would mean that the Supreme Court would have to constantly handle these sorts of cases.

How does the following excerpt from the first essay add to the development of the Point author’s argument?

"Citizens like Gregory Lee Johnson who make the decision to burn the American flag in protest probably do not take the decision lightly. Instead, they are weighing their reverence for the flag carefully with their civic duty to stand up for what they believe in."

• It assumes flag burners like Johnson are serious and thoughtful people who want what they think is best for America.

• The author knows that most people reading already think that Gregory Lee Johnson is a hero.

• It demonstrates all of the positive changes that can come from a protest like Johnson’s.

• It questions whether anyone can consider themselves a true patriot until they make a gesture as bold and dangerous as burning the flag.

How does the example of the Dred Scott case in Paragraph 4 of the second essay add to the development of the Counterpoint author’s argument against flag burning?

• It suggests that burning the flag is as bad as slavery.

• It points to polls that show how strongly Americans support the Supreme Court’s Dred Scott ruling.

• It demonstrates that there might not be any way around the Supreme Court’s decision protecting flag burning.

• It dismisses the Supreme Court’s flag burning decision by showing how flawed its rulings can be.

What is a central idea of both essays that is best supported by the text?

• One of the main problems with a flag burning law is that people will inevitably wind up burning flags by accident.

• Looking to Europe as an example can help guide people to the correct thinking on the issue of flag burning.

• The point of view of military service members should be weighed when considering the issue of flag burning.

• Sometimes flag burning is the only option for citizens seeking to express their dissatisfaction with the government.

Which of these inferences about the Point essay is best supported the text?

• Supreme Court decisions should not be challenged or changed by Constitutional amendments.

• The better solution to this debate would be if we had a government in power that no one wanted to protest.

• The author would be open to a flag burning amendment to the Constitution if it allowed states to decide whether to outlaw it.

• Flag burning as a form of protest by thoughtful citizens actually makes us stronger as a nation.