I don't buy it. It was a political ruling. If I burn a Koran or a flag who is to know what the ‘real’ meaning of my message is? What about a confederate flag?? I file this with ‘hate’ crimes.
I never understood how the Federal government can outlaw certain speech in the private employer workplace based on offended feelings either, short a more restrictive consistent definition of the first amendment that only protects political speech(a Scalia type definition).
Thanks for the contrary view, always makes it more interesting :)
Incitement to illegal violence is not considered protected speech, nor should it be.
Cross-burning was classified, rightly or wrongly, by the Court as the equivalent of verbal or written incitement to kill people and as such not protected.
While I’m not sure I agree 100%, they have a good point.