In Support of the First Amendment

“What would it would really mean if it became illegal to burn a flag? If such a law were to exist, then the painting of a burning flag would come into question, and no doubt, be deemed illegal. How could a work of art be illegal? How could we have freedom of expression if a law were to ban a piece of art? Once any work of art is deemed illegal, the true meaning of Flag Burning, Book Burning and the First Amendment of our constitution would come into focus." - Robert Cenedella

In Support of the First Amendment (1992) is a commentary on a U.S. citizen’s right to desecrate its own country’s flag, which has been historically done in protest of their Government’s controversial policies and/or involvement in wars. The sacredness of the American flag has been a decade’s old issue with reversed mandates seesawing between State Laws, Congressional Acts and Supreme Court decisions. The Flag Protection Act of 1989 was passed by the 101st Congress under President George H.W. Bush, which enacted statutes criminalizing the burning or desecration of the flag in public protest. A year later, the act was challenged in United States v Eichman (1990). The Supreme Court rescinded the act because the government’s interest in preserving the flag did not outweigh a citizen’s right to their First Amendment.