Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Comment on this quote Share via Email Print this Page [141-160] of 502 Speech quotesSpeech QuotesSpeech Previous 20 quotes Next 20 quotes The ruling class has the schools and press under its thumb. This enables it to sway the emotions of the masses.~ Albert Einstein Laws alone cannot secure freedom of expression; in order that every man present his views without penalty there must be a spirit of tolerance in the entire population.~ Albert Einstein Don’t join the book burners. Don’t think you are going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed.~ Dwight D. Eisenhower It is an ancient truth that freedom cannot be legislated into existence, so it is no less obvious that freedom cannot be censored into existence. And any who act as if freedom’s defenses are found in suppression and suspicion and fear confess a doctrine that is alien to America.~ Dwight D. Eisenhower Don't say things. What you are stands over you the while, and thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary.~ Ralph Waldo Emerson The function of the censor is to censor. He has a professional interest in finding things to suppress.~ Thomas I. Emerson It is frequently said that speech that is intentionally provocative and therefore invites physical retaliation can be punished or suppressed. Yet, plainly no such general proposition can be sustained. Quite the contrary…. The provocative nature of the communication does not make it any the less expression. Indeed, the whole theory of free expression contemplates that expression will in many circumstances be provocative and arouse hostility. The audience, just as the speaker, has an obligation to maintain physical restraint.~ 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 To open his lips is crime in a plain citizen.~ Quintus Ennius The beginning of philosophy is the recognition of the conflict between opinions.~ Epictetus It shall be unlawful for any public secondary school which receives Federal financial assistance and which has a limited open forum, to deny equal access or a fair opportunity to, or discriminate against, any students who wish to conduct a meeting within that limited open forum on the basis of the religious, political, philosophical, or other content of the speech at such meeting.~ Equal Access Act Freedom of speech and freedom of action [is meaningless] without freedom to think. And there is no freedom of thought without doubt.~ Bergan Evans The information superhighway is a revolution that in years to come will transcend newspapers, radio, and television as an information source. Therefore, I think this is the time to put some restrictions on it.~ Sen. James Exon Censorship is advertising paid by the government.~ Federico Fellini Censorship is a dangerous tool that is primarily used to suppress from those who would challenge oppression by the society and that state, and particularly victimizes minorities. [It] can never eliminate evil ideas, and so the best answer to bad speech is more speech.~ Feminists Against Censorship 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 Freedom of the press and also of speech, assembly, and worship can persist as social forms and legal guarantees, while at the same time their functional realities can be gradually slipping away.~ Marshall Field I tell you everything that is really nothing, and nothing of what is everything, do not be fooled by what I am saying. Please listen carefully and try to hear what I am not saying.~ Charles C. Finn Despite the apparent absoluteness of the First Amendment, there are any number of ways of getting around it, ways that are known to any student of law. In general, the strategy is to manipulate the distinction between speech and action which is at bottom a distinction between inconsequential and consequential behavior.~ Stanley Fish Previous 20 quotes Next 20 quotes Share on Facebook Tweet Email Print