Here's an interesting quote about freedom of speech by J.B.
Bury from waaaaay back in 1947. :) It's from "A History of Freedom
of Thought".
"It is a common saying that thought is free. A man can never be hindered from
thinking whatever he chooses so long as he conceals what he thinks. The
working of his mind is limited only by the bounds of his experience and the
power of his imagination. But this natural liberty of private thinking is of
little value. It is unsatisfactory and even painful to the thinker himself,
if he is not permitted to communicate his thoughts to others, and it is
obviously of no value to his neighbors. Moreover it is extremely difficult to
hide thoughts that have any power over the mind. If a man's thinking leads
him to call in question ideas and customs which regulate the behaviour of
those about him, to reject the beliefs which they hold, to see better ways
of life than those they follow, it is almost impossible for him, if he is
convinced of the truth of his own reasoning, not to betray by silence, chance
words, or general attitude that he is different from them and does not share
their opinions. Some have preferred, like Socrates, some would prefer today,
to face death rather than conceal their thoughts. Thus freedom of thought,
in any valuable sense, includes freedom of speech."
-- J.B. Bury, "A History of Freedom of Thought"
And another one about giving up your liberties to feel safer.
This one is really ancient. ;-0
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
- Ben Franklin, c. 1784
From a bit more recently:
"I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward. It is not
desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right."
-- Henry David Thoreau "Civil Disobedience"
Steve
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