Texas v. Johnson was a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States that invalidated prohibitions on desecrating the American flag. The opinion of the court came down as a controversial 5-4 decision, with the majority opinion written by William J. Brennan, Jr. In it, the Supreme Court answered the question of whether the desecration of an American flag, by burning or otherwise, is a form of speech protected under the First Amendment. What arguments did the justices make? Discuss
Month: June 2022
Greenland National Day
The people of Greenland celebrate National Day on June 21, the longest day of the year. They call the holiday Ullortuneq in Greenlandic, which means “the longest day.” They celebrate the occasion with communal picnics, shows, and many cultural activities. Since Greenland’s current flag was formally instituted on June 21, 1985, they also honor the national flag on this day. Discuss
Prince William (1982)
The eldest son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, Prince William is second in line for the British throne. In 2011, he wed Catherine Middleton in a lavish ceremony at Westminster Abbey, broadcast live on televisions around the globe and watched by tens of millions of people. Their first child, Prince George, was born in July 2013. Dubbed Wills by the popular media, Wombat by his mother, and Billy the Fish by his Air Force buddies, William is known in official circles by what title? Discuss
be the pits
To be particularly bad, unfortunate, or awful, especially of a situation or outcome. Watch the video
Neil Simon
Simon is an American playwright whose popular comedies touch on various aspects of modern middle-class life. Despite being known as a master jokesmith, Simon often tackles serious topics. His Pulitzer Prize-winning Lost in Yonkers, for example, deals with the painful subject of parental rejection. His many other plays include The Odd Couple and Brighton Beach Memoirs. Many have been adapted into films, and Simon has written numerous screenplays. How did he get his start? Discuss
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tap
faucet – Probably comes from French fausset, meaning “bore, tap.” More…
tattoo – In the military sense—of a signal summoning soldiers to their quarters at night—it was originally written tap-too, from a Dutch word taptoe, meaning “close the tap” (of a cask), which was told to soldiers when they were expected to return to their quarters. More…
tick, tickle – Tick, as in “sound of a clock,” “mark of correctness,” originally meant “light touch, tap,” and its modern senses are recent developments; tickle is probably a derivative of this version of tick. More…
tit for tat – Probably borrowed from Dutch tip for tap, “blow for blow.” More…
Queen Victoria Ascends British Throne (1837)
Queen Victoria ruled the UK for more than 63 years, longer than any other British monarch. Her reign, known as the Victorian Era, coincided with the height of the Industrial Revolution and was marked by significant social, economic, and technological changes in the UK. Though the Irish Potato Famine adversely affected Victoria’s popularity, she was mostly well liked. She was a carrier of the hereditary illness later dubbed the “royal disease.” What is the disease called today? Discuss
West Virginia Day
West Virginia Day is a state holiday in West Virginia to celebrate its joining the Union in 1863 as the 35th state. The creation of the state was a result of the Civil War. The settlers of western Virginia defied the state’s vote to secede from the Union, and on June 20 West Virginia formally entered the Union as an anti-slave state. The day is marked with ceremonies at the state capitol in Charleston and at the West Virginia Independence Hall in Wheeling. It was there that the conventions were held to declare West Virginia’s independence from Virginia. Discuss
Jean Moulin (1899)
Jean Moulin was a high-profile member of the French resistance during World War II. At Charles de Gaulle’s bidding, he formed the National Council of the Resistance, which coordinated the actions of the different groups that made up the Resistance. A day after his birthday in 1943, he was captured and tortured by the Gestapo and died soon after. He is remembered as a symbol of civic virtues, moral rectitude, and patriotism. Why is Moulin often depicted wearing a scarf around his neck? Discuss