Iunderstand that this flag has serious important meanings . . but that does not mean that . . people may not under the first amendment show their feelings by what texas calls desecration of a venerated object. i think it's a most important case. i sense that it goes to the heart of the first amendment, to hear things or to see things that we hate test the first amendment more than seeing or hearing things that we like. it wasn't designed for things we like. they never needed a first amendment.
—william m. kunstler,
attorney for gregory lee johnson,
texas v. johnsonin this excerpt, attorney william kunstler is arguing against his client's conviction.
the main idea of this excerpt is that the first amendment is essential because it