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VOA慢速英语2018--Is Burning the American Flag Legal?

时间:2018-08-06 14:44:12

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(单词翻译)

 

The United States constitution guarantees a number of rights to U.S. citizens. One of the most famous is the right to free speech.

But what if people say or do horrible things?

The Supreme1 Court struggled with this idea in 1989. The case related to a man named Gregory Lee Johnson. A few years earlier, he strongly objected to the policies of then-President Ronald Reagan. So, at a political meeting in Texas, Johnson burned the American flag.

Police arrested him.

Johnson appealed, saying that burning the flag was his way of expressing his political beliefs – exactly the kind of speech the writers of the U.S. Constitution aimed to protect.

Opponents disagreed. They pointed2 out that the American flag was special, and they did not think burning it was “speech.” They warned that such an act could move people to violence.

But a majority of the Court's justices agreed with Johnson. They said even if the public strongly dislikes an idea, people still have a right to express it.

One final note: Supreme Court cases have not protected all speech. Other cases have limited people’s right to communicate ideas that are knowingly false, morally offensive3, stolen or threatening. But for now – unless the public approves Constitutional amendment4 – burning the American flag is legal.

Words in This Story

appeal - v. to make a formal request for a higher court or for someone in authority to review and change a decision

obscene5 - adj. relating to sex in an indecent or offensive way


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1 supreme PHqzc     
adj.极度的,最重要的;至高的,最高的
参考例句:
  • It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
  • He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
2 pointed Il8zB4     
adj.尖的,直截了当的
参考例句:
  • He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
  • She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。
3 offensive OI9xc     
adj.令人不快的,侮辱的,攻击用的;n.进攻
参考例句:
  • His mode of doing business is offensive to me.他干事情的方式叫我很不喜欢。
  • If all else fails,I will take the offensive.如果其他方法不行,我将采取攻势。
4 amendment Mx8zY     
n.改正,修正,改善,修正案
参考例句:
  • The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
  • The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。
5 obscene A09ya     
adj.(指思想、书籍等)猥亵的,淫秽的,下流的
参考例句:
  • They have cut the obscene passages from the film to show it on television.他们已把影片中的淫秽镜头剪去以便在电视上播映。
  • He continued to use obscene language and also to make threats.他仍然不住口地说些污言秽语,而且还进行了威胁。

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