Robert A. HeinleinRobert A. Heinlein, (1907-1988) American writer

Robert A. Heinlein Quote

“When any government, or any church for that matter, undertakes to say to its subjects, "This you may not read, this you may not see, this you are forbidden to know," the end result is tyranny and oppression, no matter how holy the motives. Mighty little force is needed to control a man whose mind has been hoodwinked; contrariwise, no amount of force can control a free man, a man whose mind is free. No, not the rack, not fission bombs, not anything -- you can't conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him.”

Robert A. HeinleinRobert A. Heinlein
~ Robert A. Heinlein


Ratings and Comments


Dave Wilber, St. Louis

Freedom and legal tender are incompatible, you can't have both anymore than you can have dry water or a cold fire. The sole function of legal tender is to take labor and property without paying.

E Archer, NYC

That includes the right of whistleblowers to report on government agencies exceeding their mandate. Too often 'security' means protection of government rackets.

ATTENTION GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES: 'If you see something, say something.' Stop colluding with unlawful dictates.

Mike, Norwalk

Archer, on that note; a few of us have started addressing individuals driving cars with government license plates (being extremely careful not to be threatening in any way); asking them for their name, and for what government purpose are they driving the car. If they won't give us the information they ask, we ask them to call the police to settle the matter. Haven't got a response yet - they've just all driven off giving us a dirty look. Now thinking how to escalate the issue to bring a little responsibility to government.

Bobble, No. Ferrisburgh, VT

Argument for freedom -- or license ? Who HASN'T heard of a crime so heinous as to warrant killing him .. who ?

Ronw13, Yachats Or

The quote nails the point down, that most think they are free, while others know they are free. This " faith " evil seeks to destroy and remove, all remembrance of and knowledge of, from off the face of the earth. Wake Totally Up, patriots ? or True Patriots !!

Robert, Somewhere in Europe

While the conscious mind is free, we are free. What inhibits this freedom is the thought you are not free. Brake those chains of fear and retribution - it is easy for me to say this while I sit comfortably sipping my french wine, but out in the world of reality there are thousands of heroic and courageous individuals whose names are lost in the dust of time. They are unwilling to allow torture, to removed their integrity and moral fibre but stay steadfast in their resolve to maintain their freedom. Even those who are unable to withstand the excruciating pain of torture and fall mindlessly into the matrix are still free human beings. So, your mind and you are free but as an above comment suggested "are you really free"? Only you know the answer... There are so many chains that hold us to mediocrity and to the life we live - we must stop and think, is this how I wish to die?

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