Copy of Copy of STUDENT COPY - Stars and Stripes (1)
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School
Villanova University *
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Course
1050
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Apr 3, 2024
Type
Pages
16
Uploaded by DoctorFerretMaster931 on coursehero.com
7Student Copy Interactive Notetaker:
Stars and Stripes from StudySync
Part I:
Stars and Stripes
(Text Structures & Features, Argument,
Rhetoric)
Part II:
Comparing and Evaluating
Arguments
Part III:
Benchmark Questions
Part IV:
Socratic Smackdown
ELA.10.R.2.1
Analyze the impact of multiple text structures and the use of features in text(s).
ELA.10.R.2.4
Compare the development of two opposing arguments on the same topic, evaluating the e±ectiveness and validity of
the claims, and analyzing the ways in which the authors use the same information to achieve di±erent ends.
ELA.10.R.3.4
Analyze an author’s use of rhetoric in a text.
Part I:
Stars and Stripes
Burning the American Flag as Protest: First Amendment Right or a Crime?
From StudySync
Background:
In these two articles, writers make arguments for and against the rights of American citizens to burn the country’s flag as a
form of political protest. This debate has been going on since American activist Gregory Lee Johnson was arrested in Dallas, Texas, for burning
the American flag outside of the Republican National Convention in 1984. Both writers present strong arguments and support their claims
with evidence. Which one does the better job convincing you that his or her view is correct?
Directions
: As you read Stars and Stripes annotate the following:
●
Text Structures and Features
●
Arguments or claims made by the author
●
Reasons and evidence used to support the argument
●
Rhetorical Appeals or Devices
Point: The Right to Burn the Flag Is Protected by Freedom of Speech
Chunk 1
1
When a citizen of a nation is dissatisfied with the government, what can he or she do to try to create
change? What if voting in elections and participating in local
government doesn’t seem to be enough? This is exactly the position
some citizens find themselves in when they make the choice to burn
the flag as a form of protest. Many see it as a last resort. All citizens
must understand that the right to burn the flag is protected by
America’s Constitution.
How does the use of
rhetorical questions
impact the opening of the
Point argument?
By having the reader think
more deeply about citizen’s
rights.
Is it legal to burn the flag?
How do you know?
.
It's legal because the right
to burn the flag is protected
by the constitution.
2
There are many people who do not support the legal right to burn the flag. They feel that burning the flag
is
callous
toward the military servicemen and women who have fought and died for their country. Anyone
can see how this act would be hurtful toward members of the armed forces. However, it is not plausible to
say that in order to protect freedom, you must limit the very freedoms you are trying to protect. Even some
service members agree. According to a veteran of the Vietnam War, Richard Savage, "...Those who would
burn the flag destroy the symbol of freedom, but amending the Constitution would destroy part of
freedom itself."
Highlight descriptive
structure in paragraphs 1
and 2.
How does the descriptive
structure and text feature
impact the reader?
.
The descriptive structure
and the text feature
emphasizes the connection
between protected rights.
3
The United States Supreme Court agrees that it would be unethical to limit citizens’ personal freedoms with
laws against burning the flag. In 1984, Gregory Lee Johnson burned the American flag at the Republican
National Convention in Dallas because he was dissatisfied with the government of the United States. At the
time it was illegal in the state of Texas to burn the flag, so Johnson was arrested. Johnson fought the case
and it went all the way to the Supreme Court. The Court ruled in 1989 that burning a flag is symbolically the
same as exercising your right to free speech, and therefore it is protected by the First Amendment to the
Constitution. Since the Constitution is the supreme law of the land, states are no longer allowed to make or
enforce laws against burning the flag.
Chunk 2
4
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. One of the most important patriotic ideals in the United States is
that the government is for the people and by the people. By burning a flag in protest, a citizen is
participating in politics and therefore fulfilling his or her civic duty. It is far more unpatriotic to either not act
to try to improve the government, or to use inadequate methods to try to bring about change.
How does the structure
and feature impact the
reader in chunk 2?
The descriptive structure is
supported by the image to
send the message of
Gregory Lee Johnson’s
actions being protected.
How does paragraph 4
add to the development of
the author’s argument?
Assuming that people like
Johnson are serious and
thoughtful about what they
think is best for America.
5
To those who say flag burning should be illegal despite this evidence, I have a few questions. What exactly
would be protected by a law that makes it illegal to burn flags? Clothing featuring American flags? Fourth
of July picnic napkins and plates? Although it sounds a bit absurd, this is not very far-fetched. According to
the Federal Flag Code, which was signed by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1942, a flag is anything "by
which the average person seeing the same without deliberation may believe the same to represent the
flag." A law against burning flags could have the negative, unintended consequence of unnecessary
litigation against people that harm an image of the flag with no intention of protest.
What impact does the use
of rhetorical questions
have on the reader?
This can have an impact on
the reader by making a
point Emphasis.
What does the Point
author want to ask people
who think flag burning
should be illegal?
“A law against burning flags
could have the negative,
unintended consequence of
unnecessary litigation
against people that harm
an image of the flag with no
intention of protest.”
6
The Supreme Court got this one right. When someone burns the flag in protest they are exercising their
right to free speech, and that is a freedom that should never be tarnished by the government. The men
and women who decide to burn the flag in protest would not bother to take action if they were not devoted
to the betterment of the United States.
Counterpoint: Burning the American Flag Is a Threat to Our Country
Chunk 3
7
The American flag is one of the most sacred symbols of the United
States. When six Marines raised the American flag over Iwo Jima in
1945, it symbolized the United States’ strength in the face of world
powers that wanted to destroy us. Three of the Marines that raised
that flag would make the ultimate sacrifice for their country when
they were killed in action. When Neil Armstrong placed an
American Flag on the moon in 1969, it was a symbol of the United
States’ resolve to be a leader in science and technology despite
competition from the repressive Communist regimes. When New
York City firefighters raised the flag over the ruins of the World
Trade Center in 2001, it was a symbol of solidarity and strength
after an
atrocious
attack on the American people. To burn the United States flag for any reason is
disrespectful and should be outlawed.
According to the
Counterpoint author, what
does the American flag
symbolize?
The flag symbolizes
strength, solidarity, and
freedom.
What is the meaning of the
various images of the flag
as used in paragraph 7?
They show times when the
flag made the United States
stronger by representing its
unity.
8
Unfortunately, there are some people who think it is acceptable to burn this sacred symbol as a form of
protest against the government. They mistakenly believe that it is feasible to fight for freedom while
simultaneously destroying one of its most cherished symbols. On the contrary, burning the American flag is
deeply disrespectful to those who actually fight for freedom: members of the armed forces. Anyone who
thinks that it should be legal to burn the flag should consider the following points of view.
How does the text
structure and feature in
chunk 3 impact the
reader?
This paragraph uses
compare and contrast and
uses the chart to feature
work together to make a
strong connection to
support the idea of making
desecration of the flag a
crime.
9
Think how it must feel to be an American service member injured in battle. You are happy to be alive but
you have a long road to recovery. Then you come home to the injurious act of the same citizens you
fought to protect, burning a symbol of the freedom you fought for. Now picture tears in the eyes of the
child or spouse of a soldier that went missing in action while fighting for our country. Imagine how it must
feel for them to see people disrespecting a symbol of the freedom their missing loved one fought for, not
How does the author
appeal to the reader in
paragraph 9? How strong
is this appeal in supporting
their argument?
knowing if their family member will ever have their own freedom again. Consider a serviceman or woman
that fought in battle and made it home, but carries the memory of his or her comrades that were not so
lucky to make it back to their families alive. How would it feel to see the memory of their fallen comrades
degraded by the burning of the flag?
The author uses an
emotional appeal to let us
know that people should
think about the memory of
their fallen comrades
degraded by the burning of
the flag.
Chunk 4
10
People who think it should be legal to burn the American flag argue that the Supreme Court ruled it is a
right protected by the Constitution. However, this is not a su±cient reason to let the issue lie. The Supreme
Court has been wrong before. There was a time when the Supreme Court ruled that African Americans
could not be American citizens (Dred Scott v. Sandford, 1857). Then only a little more than ten years later
the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution were passed, reversing this
decision and ensuring that all Americans enjoy the protection of the law. One of the wonderful things about
the United States is that the Constitution is flexible, and it is imperative that it be adjusted to reflect respect
for the American flag as well.
How does the example of
the Dred Scott case add to
the development of the
author’s argument?
The mention of the Dred
Scott case shows that the
Supreme Court can be
fallible.
11
In fact, the majority of Americans think that it should be illegal to
burn the flag. In a poll conducted in 1990, 69% of Americans said
that they supported a Constitutional Amendment that would make
it legal for Congress or individual states to pass laws against flag
burning. Since the United States government is for the people and
by the people, public opinion should matter in deciding this issue.
How does the text
structure and feature
impact the text in chunk 4?
The descriptive structure is
supported by the chart
showing statistics on public
opinion regarding this
matter.
12
And perhaps the most compelling reason to make burning the American flag illegal, is that it is a threat to
national security. Simply put, when American citizens burn the flag it makes us look weak to our enemies.
The world we live in today is increasingly threatening. It is essential that the United States show a united
and strong nation that will not tolerate aggression from others.
What is the Counterpoint
author’s most compelling
reason to make flag
burning illegal?
It's a threat to national
security.
13
Internationally there is a precedent for limiting freedom of expression in the interest of national security.
The European Convention on Human Rights is an international treaty that has been in place in Europe
since 1953. Article 10 (the section on freedom of expression) of the ECHR states: “The exercise of these
freedoms, since it carries with it duties and responsibilities, may be subject to such formalities, conditions,
restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society, in the interests
of national security, territorial integrity or public safety….”
14
The clear message here is that it is more important to protect our citizens than to allow such an extreme
display of freedom of speech. If you are dissatisfied with the government, there are many options available
to you. Go out and vote. Speak or write about your point of view in a public forum so that your message
can be heard. Run for o±ce. Any of these would be better than the disrespectful, depraved act of burning
the most sacred symbol of the freedoms you enjoy.
Text Says, I Know, And So…
Directions:
Read each statement from the text. Determine what the author is suggesting by using the information from the text and what you
already know about the content to make an inference.
Text Says…
I Know…
And So…
The United States Supreme Court agrees that it
would be unethical to limit citizens’ personal
freedoms with laws against burning the flag.
(paragraph 3)
It's legal because the right to burn the flag is
protected by the constitution.
Since the constitution protects the freedom to
burn the flag, it is lawful.
Citizens like Gregory Lee Johnson who make the
decision to burn the American flag in protest
probably do not take the decision lightly.
(paragraph 4)
The descriptive structure is supported by the
image to send the message of Gregory Lee
Johnson’s actions being protected.
To convey the idea that Gregory Lee Johnson's
acts are protected, the picture supports the
descriptive framework.
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