Copy of Copy of STUDENT COPY - Stars and Stripes (1)

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.