The Times, They Are A’Changin…
In 1969, the U.S. Supreme Court made a significant ruling with regard to the 1st amendment rights of students. That landmark decision protected 13-year-old Mary Beth Tinker’s right to wear a black armband to school as a protest against the Vietnam War. Political speech like Tinker’s protest is, of course, precisely what the 1st amendment intended to guarantee, and enjoys elevated protection when compared to other types of speech such as commercial speech.
Thus, the Tinker case isn’t entirely analogous to the case before the U.S. Supreme Court now–a case in which Joseph Frederick is fighting for his right to…unfurl a “humorous” banner reading “Bong Hits for Jesus” across the street from his high school in Juneau, Alaska.
There’s an interesting analysis of the case–and what it says about the state of our society–at www.firstamendmentcenter.org
