Read the verdict of the court in the case of texas v. Johnson. [t]he government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable. Which sentence best summarizes the verdict? a. The government cannot decide whether something is illegal. b. An idea can be made illegal if people will be upset by it. c. Just because an idea is offensive does not mean it can be prohibited. d. Society has a large say in making ideas legal or illegal.

c. Just because an idea is offensive does not mean it can be prohibited.

The conflict surged when the American Gregory Lee Johnson burned a U. S. flag as a way of protest against the government, in front of the Dallas City Hall, in 1984. Afterward, he was tried and convicted because he had violated a Texas law that outlawed flag desecration. Eventually, the case went to the Supreme Court.

In the Court, it was determined that burning a flag was a form of free expression protected under the First Amendment and that just because certain ideas or forms of expressions are deemed offensive or disagreeable by society, does not mean they can be prohibited.

The Court also held that state officials did not have the authority to designate symbols (like the flag) to be used to communicate limited sets of messages.

C. Just because an idea is offensive does not mean it can be prohibited.