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- Minnersville vs Gobatis (1940)
- The pledge of allegiance will start soon, please stand and salute the flag.
- I will not! It is against my religion.
- What are you saying! Stand up at once or I'll make sure you both get expelled!
- I won't do it!
- A comic strip about the 1940 Supreme Court case, "Minersville vs Gobatis."
- Agreed! It's not fair
- My children, under the first amendment have the freedom of speech and religion. Therefore, they should not be forced to salute the flag!
- In the early 1900s, students had to stand up and salute the flag while saying the pledge of allegiance out loud.
- How could this be?!?
- Well saluting the flag promotes national unity and that is more important than your religion. Therefore the first amendment does notapply here.
- Lillian and William Gobitas, both Jehovah Witnesses, believed that saluting the flag would disrespect their religion so they refused to do it.
- The court case was monumental for multiple reasons: it made the public start questioning patriotism and other's tolerance to it, however itconsequently increased hate crimes against Jehovah witnesses but it also paved the way for West Virginia State Board of Educationv. Barnette, which reversed the court's decision 3 years later.
- The Minersville school district then expelled the two Gobitas children for their actions. This issue was later taken to the Supreme court because the family argued that their First Amendment rights were being violated.
- The Supreme Court ruled that the school district had the right to force students to salute the flag. Justice Frankfurter argued that it promotes unity and security for everyone.
- Minersville vs Gobatis had many good and bad impacts. The End!
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