Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Comment on this quote Share via Email Print this Page [401-420] of 502 Speech quotesSpeech QuotesSpeech Previous 20 quotes Next 20 quotes Heretical views arise when the truth is uncertain, and it is only when the truth is uncertain that censorship is invoked.~ Bertrand Russell I pray that no child of mine would ever descend into such a place as a library. They are indeed most dangerous places and unfortunate is she or he who is lured into such a hellhole of enjoyment, stimulus, facts, passion and fun.~ Willy Russell It was not by accident or coincidence that the rights to freedom in speech and press were coupled in a single guaranty with the rights of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition for redress of grievances. All these, though not identical, are inseparable. They are cognate rights, and therefore are united in the first Article’s assurance.~ Judge Wiley B. Rutledge Profound insights arise only in debate, with a possibility of counterargument, only when there is a possibility of expressing not only correct ideas but also dubious ideas.~ Andrei Sakharov Freedom of thought is the only guarantee against an infection of people by mass myths, which, in the hands of treacherous hypocrites and demagogues, can be transformed into bloody dictatorships.~ Andrei Sakharov If newsmen do not tell the truth as they see it because it might make waves, or if their bosses decide something should or should not be broadcast because of Washington or Main Street consequences, we have dishonored ourselves and we have lost the First Amendment by default.~ Richard Salant Morons hate it when you call them a moron.~ J. D. Salinger The virtue of a democratic system with a [constitutionally guaranteed right to free speech] is that it readily enables the people, over time, to be persuaded that what they took for granted is not so, and to change their laws accordingly.~ Justice Antonin Scalia The Truth is not a thing. It is alive. It cannot be grasped. It is spoken.~ Eric Schaub Truth need only be spoken.~ Eric Schaub The most serious problems of freedom of expression in our society today exist on our campuses. The assumption seems to be that the purpose of education is to induce correct opinion rather than to search for wisdom and to liberate the mind….Attitudes on campuses often presage tendencies in the larger society. If that is so with respect to freedom of expression, the erosion of principle we have seen throughout our society in recent years may be only the beginning…~ Benno C. Schmidt Should I be surprised that dangers which have always surrounded me should at last attack me? A great part of mankind, when about to sail, do not think of a storm. I shall never be ashamed of a reporter of bad news in a good cause.~ Lucius Annaeus Seneca All censorships exist to prevent anyone from challenging current conceptions and existing institutions. All progress is initiated by challenging current conceptions, and executed by supplanting existing institutions. Consequently, the first condition of progress is the removal of censorships.~ George Bernard Shaw Censorship ends in logical completeness when nobody is allowed to read any books except the books that nobody reads.~ George Bernard Shaw Assassination is the extreme form of censorship.~ George Bernard Shaw Give them a corrupt House of Lords, give them a venal House of Commons, give they a tyrannical Prince, give them a truckling court, and let me have but an unfettered press. I will defy them to encroach a hair’s breadth upon the liberties of England.~ Richard Brinsley Sheridan The reduction of political discourse to sound bites is one of the worst things that’s happened in American political life.~ John Silber As Hitler showed us, a press suppressed does not make a recovery. As Lenin indicated, a press controlled does not revert to a critic’s role. As history reminds us, free speech surrendered is rarely recovered.~ William J. Small It is the right of our people to organize to oppose any law and any part of the constitution with which they are not in sympathy.~ Alfred E. Smith The idea that political speech had to be protected at any cost dates to Colonial days, during which the press and the public were not allowed to express themselves freely on matters of public concern. The King and his government often used restrictive measures, such as licensing of printing presses and the doctrine of seditious libel, to silence unfavorable public comment.~ Craig R. Smith Previous 20 quotes Next 20 quotes Share on Facebook Tweet Email Print