Freedom of speech

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Freedom of speech is the concept of being able to speak freely without censorship. It is often regarded as an integral concept in modern liberal democracies.

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• Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
  • First Amendment to the United States Constitution

• I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty, than those attending too small a degree of it.
  • To Archibald Stuart, Philadelphia, 23 December 1791
  • Cited in Jefferson, Thomas (2002). "1791". in Jerry Holmes. Thomas Jefferson: A Chronology of His Thoughts. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. p. 128. ISBN 0742521168. 

• Error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.
  • Thomas Jefferson, First Inaugural Address, 4 March 1801

• After all, if freedom of speech means anything, it means a willingness to stand and let people say things with which we disagree, and which do weary us considerably.
  • Zechariah Chafee; in Chafee (1920). Freedom of Speech. Harcourt, Brace and Howe. pp. p. 366. 

• And I honor the man who is willing to sink
  Half his present repute for the freedom to think,
  And, when he has thought, be his cause strong or weak,
  Will risk t'other half for the freedom to speak.
  • James Russell Lowell, A Fable for Critics (1848), Pt. V - Cooper, st. 3

• I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.
  • Evelyn Beatrice Hall, Ch. 7 : Helvetius : The Contradiction, p. 199

[edit] See also

• First Amendment to the United States Constitution

[edit] External links

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Freedom of speech

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