Timeline of flag desecration-related legislation

1984: Gregory Johnson arrested in Dallas for burning the U.S. flag in a protest against nuclear war at the Republican National Convention. Johnson was convicted and sentenced to a year in jail and fined $2,000 for violating a Texas law against "desecration of a venerated object." Johnson case is appealed all the way to the Supreme Court.

June 1989: The Supreme Court, using Johnson's case as a model, rules that flag desecration is protected speech under the Constitution's First Amendment.

October 1989: Congress passes the Flag Protection Act of 1989, making it a crime to deface, burn or trample the U.S. flag. On the day the law takes effect, a group of Vietnam veterans in Seattle burn 1,000 American flags in a "festival of defiance". Two days later, four people, including Gregory Johnson, burn flags on the steps of the Capitol in Washington. Three are arrested for violating the flag protection act.

June 1990: Supreme Court rules Flag Protection Act of 1989 unconstitutional. Within hours of the decision, Sen. Bob Dole introduces a proposal to amend the Constitution in order to ban desecration of the flag. Both houses of Congress defeat the proposed amendment later in the month.

June 1995: Another proposed amendment outlawing flag desecration passes the House.

December 1995: Senate rejects flag amendment.

June 1997: House of Representatives again votes in favor of an amendment prohibiting desecration of the flag.

October 1998: Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott fails to get unanimous agreement required to bring amendment to the floor.

April 30, 1999: Senate Judiciary Committee approves constitutional amendment to ban flag burning.

June 24, 1999: House votes in favor of Constitutional amendment outlawing flag desecration.

March 28, 2000:Senate defeats proposed amendment passed earlier by the House.
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Burn, baby burn. -preach