Final answer:
The author's purpose for including the statement in the excerpt is to show that the Supreme Court agreed with Johnson's argument that his flag burning was protected under the First Amendment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The author's purpose for including the statement "held: Johnson’s conviction for flag desecration is inconsistent with the First Amendment" in the excerpt is to show that the Supreme Court agreed with Johnson's argument that his flag burning was protected under the First Amendment.
The Supreme Court's decision in Texas v. Johnson in 1989 held that burning the flag is a form of symbolic speech and is protected by the First Amendment. The Court found that Johnson's actions fell into the category of expressive conduct and had a distinctively political nature, thus making it protected under the First Amendment.
This decision has important implications as it clarified that flag desecration is considered a form of political expression and protest and is protected under the First Amendment, even if some members of the audience find it offensive or disagreeable.