Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Comment on this quote Share via Email Print this Page [101-120] of 288 Press quotesPress QuotesPress Previous 20 quotes Next 20 quotes Every man – in the development of his own personality – has the right to form his own beliefs and opinions. Hence, suppression of belief, opinion and expression is an affront to the dignity of man, a negation of man’s essential nature.~ Thomas I. Emerson Suppression of expression conceals the real problems confronting a society and diverts public attention from the critical issues. It is likely to result in neglect of the grievances which are the actual basis of the unrest, and this prevent their correction.~ Thomas I. Emerson The Right of all members of society to form their own beliefs and communicate them freely to others must be regarded as an essential principle of a democratically organized society.~ Thomas I. Emerson You thus have no rights at all over our freedom of thought, you princes; no jurisdiction over that which is true or false; no right to determine the objects of our inquiry or to set limits to it; no right to hinder us from communicating the results, whether they be true or false, to whomever or however we wish.~ Johann Gottlieb Fichte If the human body's obscene, complain to the manufacturer, not me.~ Larry Flynt Every attempt to gag the free expression of thought is an unsocial act against society. That is why judges and juries who try to enforce such laws make themselves ridiculous.~ Jay Fox Printers are educated in the Belief, that when Men differ in Opinion, both sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Public; and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter: Hence [printers] cheerfully serve all contending Writers that pay them well, without regarding on which side they are of the Question in Dispute.~ Benjamin Franklin If by the liberty of the press were understood merely the liberty of discussing the propriety of public measures and political opinions, let us have as much of it as you please: But if it means the liberty of affronting, calumniating and defaming one another, I, for my part, own myself willing to part with my share of it, whenever our legislators shall please so to alter the law and shall chearfully consent to exchange my liberty of abusing others for the privilege of not being abused myself.~ Benjamin Franklin I begin by taking. I shall find scholars later to demonstrate my perfect right.~ Frederick the Great No mighty king, no ambitious emperor, no pope, or prophet ever dreamt of such an awesome pulpit, so potent a magic wand [television].~ Fred W. Friendly Under the privilege of the First Amendment many, many ridiculous things are said.~ John Kenneth Galbraith Search for the truth is the noblest occupation of man; its publication is a duty.~ Anne Louise Germaine de Stael A truly great library contains something in it to offend everyone.~ Jo Godwin The First Amendment was designed to protect offensive speech, because nobody ever tries to ban the other kind.~ Mike Godwin The main thing is to have a soul that loves the truth and harbours it where he finds it. And another thing: truth requires constant repetition, because error is being preached about us all the time, and not only by isolated individuals but by the masses. In the newspapers and encyclopedias, in schools and universities, everywhere error rides high and basks in the consciousness of having the majority on its side.~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe To subject an artist’s work to a litmus test of political probity – and to punish institutions that will not carry out the mandate of the state – is to traffic in the thought control that gave us Stalinism and Nazism…~ Richard Goldstein Truth and news are not the same thing.~ Katharine Graham Books won’t stay banned. They won’t burn. Ideas won’t go to jail. In the long run of history, the censor and the inquisitor have always lost. The only sure weapon against bad ideas is better ideas. The source of better ideas is wisdom.~ A. Whitney Griswold You never hear about constitutional rights, free speech, and the free press. Every time I hear those words I say to myself, “That man is a Red, that man is a communist.” You never hear a real American talk like that.~ Frank Hague It is the advertiser who provides the paper for the subscriber. It is not to be disputed, that the publisher of a newspaper in this country, without a very exhaustive advertising support, would receive less reward for his labor than the humblest mechanic.~ Alexander Hamilton Previous 20 quotes Next 20 quotes Share on Facebook Tweet Email Print