What was the significance of Texas v. Johnson (1989)?

The significance of Texas v. Johnson (1989) lies in the Supreme Court's ruling that flag burning constitutes a form of symbolic speech that is protected under the First Amendment. In this case, the Court acknowledged that even ideas or actions that provoke strong emotional responses—like burning the American flag—are part of the speech that the First Amendment aims to protect. This ruling underscored the principle that free speech rights include expressions that may be controversial or unpopular, affirming a broader interpretation of what constitutes protected speech.

The decision was pivotal in shaping discussions around the limits of free expression, highlighting the importance of protecting individual rights even when the expressions may be offensive to the public or governmental sentiments. It reinforced the standard that the government cannot prohibit speech simply because it does not agree with or approve of the message being conveyed.