In both political and legal ways he played a significant part in reducing intolerance of dissent in this country, and bringing to life the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech.
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Anthony Lewis, in "Justice Holmes and the 'Splendid Prisoner'" in The New York Review of Books Vol. 56, No. 11 (2 July 2009)Eugene V. Debs
» Eugene V. Debs - all quotes »
It must never be forgotten, however, that the Bill of Rights was the child of the Enlightenment. Back of the guarantee of free speech lay faith in the power of an appeal to reason by all the peaceful means for gaining access to the mind. It was in order to avert force and explosions due to restrictions upon rational modes of communication that the guarantee of free speech was given a generous scope. But utterance in a context of violence can lose its significance as an appeal to reason and become part of an instrument of force. Such utterance was not meant to be sheltered by the Constitution.
Felix Frankfurter
There Is Absolutely NOTHING Perplexing About This Story
Real defenders of the First Amendment, such as Leland Yee and myself, understand that what constitutionalists call "political speech" is fully protected by the Constitution. What is not protected is the marketing of adult-rated porn and violence to kids. To the extent that the latter is tolerated, the real First Amendment is cheapened.
What is hypocritical here is not the stance of Yee and me, but rather the knuckleheads who exult in their "pixelante" status--which is defined as someone who tries to shut up video game critics--and then, in the name of freedom of expression, threaten me, my wife, and my right to speak out on the issues of the day.
The only censors, the only opponents of the First Amendment, are gamers who will not tolerate any dissent on their masturbatory game of choice.
Jack ThompsonJack Thompson
The meaning of the First Amendment has been, and will be, shaped by each American generation: by judges, political leaders, citizens. There will always be authorities who try to make their own lives more comfortable by suppressing critical comment.… But I am convinced that the fundamental American commitment to free speech, disturbing speech, is no longer in doubt.
Anthony Lewis
Without free speech no search for Truth is possible; without free speech no discovery of Truth is useful; without free speech progress is checked, and the nations no longer march forward towards the nobler life which the future holds for man. Better a thousandfold abuse of free speech than denial of free speech. The abuse dies in a day; the denial slays the life of the people and entombs the hope of the race.
Charles Bradlaugh
The very purpose of a Bill of Rights was to withdraw certain subjects from the vicissitudes of political controversy, to place them beyond the reach of majorities and officials, and to establish them as legal principles to be applied by the courts. One's right to life, liberty, and property, to free speech, a free press, freedom of worship and assembly, and other fundamental rights may not be submitted to vote; they depend on the outcome of no elections.
Robert H. Jackson
Debs, Eugene V.
Debussy, Claude
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