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Quote by William O. Douglas

“Freedom of movement is the very essence of our free society -- once the right to travel is curtailed, all other rights suffer.”

Quote by William O. Douglas

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William O. Douglas
William O. Douglas

William O. Douglas was a former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Born on October 16, 1898, and passing away on January 19, 1980, he is renowned for his contributions to constitutional interpretation. During his tenure on the Supreme Court, Douglas advocated for liberal judgments, particularly in the areas of the First and Fifth Amendments, and had a profound impact on the American legal and judicial system. more

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“Once the government can demand of a publisher the names of the purchasers of his publication, the free press as we know it disappears. Then the spectre of a government agent will look over the shoulder of everyone who reads. ... Fear of criticism goes with every person into the bookstall. The subtle, imponderable pressures of the orthodox lay hold. Some will fear to read what is unpopular, what the powers-that-be dislike. ... fear will take the place of freedom in the libraries, book stores, and homes in the land.”

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“The Constitution and the Bill of Rights we designed to get the government off the backs of the people -- all the people. Those great documents guarantee to us all the rights to personal and spiritual self-fulfillment. But that guarantee is not self-executing. As nightfall does not come all at once, neither does oppression. In both instances, there is a twilight when everything remains seemingly unchanged. And it is in such a twilight that we all must be most aware of the change in the air -- however slight -- lest we become unwitting victims of the darkness.”

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“This freedom of movement is the very essence of our free society, setting us apart. Like the right of assembly and the right of association, it often makes all other rights meaningful-knowing, studying, arguing, exploring, conversing, observing and even thinking. Once the right to travel is curtailed, all other rights suffer, just as when curfew or home detention is placed on a person.”

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Author:William O. Douglas
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