“Freedom of opinion can only exist when the government thinks itself secure.”

Man is this an understatement. Great quote.

Our freedom is secure when the government fears the people. I think freedom of opinion can only exist when the People think themselves secure. When it becomes a crime to expose a long held sacred belief as a fraud, that is when a government thinks itself secure. All opinions are fair game for criticism and skepticism.

Nobody can prevent opinion. It is the expression of those opinions a less secure government might try to restrict.

Precisely, and that will never happen.

A government that thinks itself secure is a danger to freedom of opinion and every other freedom. A secure government has no fear of consequences for its actions. The most "secure" government I can recall was Communist China's under Mao during the cultural revolution.

Exactly, and the reason there is such a degree of free speech in the good ole USA is that the government (that is us) are totally secure. We have a 230 year old democracy and ain't no MF going to upset the rule of, by and for the people, because the government (that is us) is ruled by free speech. How absolutely glorious is our secure national fabric.