Home / Quotes / Quote by William O. Douglas

Quote by William O. Douglas

“The first opinion the Court ever filed has a dissenting opinion. Dissent is a tradition of this Court... When someone is writing for the Court, he hopes to get eight others to agree with him, so many of the majority opinions are rather stultified.”

Quote by William O. Douglas

Author

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

You May Also Like

“Realization of this need means adults must awaken to the urgency of the young people's unrest-in other words there must be created an adult unrest against the inequities and injustices in the present system. If the government is in jeopardy, it is not because we are unable to cope with revolutionary situations. Jeopardy means that either the leaders or the people do not realize they have all the tools required to make the revolution come true. The tools and the opportunity exist. Only the moral imagination is missing.”

Source: POINTS OF REBELLION

“Political dissension is doubtless a less evil than the lethargy of despotism: but still it is a great evil, and it would be as worthy the efforts of the patriot as of the philosopher, to exclude its influence if possible, from social life. The good are rare enough at best. There is no reason to subdivide them by artificial lines. But whether we shall ever be able so far to perfect the principles of society as that political opinions shall, in its intercourse, be as inoffensive as those of philosophy, mechanics, or any other, may well be doubted.”

Source: Thomas Jefferson: Thoughts on War and Revolution : Annotated Correspondence

“It's beyond me how anybody can look at these protestors and call them anything other than what they are: anti-American, anticapitalist, pro-Marxist communists.”

Looks Liberty Communist Dissent Marxist Anti-american

Author:Rush Limbaugh

“We see political leaders replacing moral imperatives with a Southern strategy. We have seen all too clearly that there are men-now in power in this country-who do not respect dissent, who cannot cope with turmoil, and who believe that the people of America are ready to support repression as long as it is done with a quiet voice and a business suit. And it is up to us to prove that they are wrong.”

“There is one tradition in America I am proud to inherit. It is our first freedom and the truest expression of our Americanism: the ability to dissent without fear. It is our right to utter the words, 'I disagree.' We must feel at liberty to speak those words to our neighbors, our clergy, our educators, our news media, our lawmakers and, above all, to the one among us we elect - President.”

Feels Firsts America Speak President Ability Liberty Media Expression Proud News Tradition Neighbor Disagree Dissent Truest Educator Clergy News Media Americanism Lawmakers

Author:Natalie Merchant

“A simple way to determine whether the right to dissent in a particular society is being upheld is to apply the town square test: Can a person walk into the middle of the town square and express his or her views without fear of arrest, imprisonment, or physical harm? If he can, then that person is living in a free society. If not, it's a fear society.”

Ifs Way Persons Simple Walks Views Liberty Middle Particular Tests Towns Determine Harm Squares Dissent Free Society Imprisonment Simple Ways

Book:The Case For Democracy: The Power of Freedom to Overcome Tyranny and Terror

Source: The Case For Democracy: The Power of Freedom to Overcome Tyranny and Terror

“In this point of the case the question is distinctly presented whether the people of the United States are to govern through representatives chosen by their unbiased suffrages or whether the money and power of a great corporation are to be secretly exerted to influence their judgment and control their decisions.”

People States Decision United Liberty Cases United States Influence Judgment Chosen Corporations Representatives Dissent Suffrage Money And Power Unbiased

Book:Annual Messages, Veto Messages, Proclamation, & C

Source: Annual Messages, Veto Messages, Proclamation, & C

“I am more than ever convinced of the dangers to which the free and unbiased exercise of political opinion - the only sure foundation and safeguard of republican government - would be exposed by any further increase of the already overgrown influence of corporate authorities.”

Source: Martin Van Buren, 1782-1862: chronology-documents-bibliographical aids

“As we view the achievements of aggregated capital, we discover the existence of trusts, combinations, and monopolies, while the citizen is struggling far in the rear or is trampled to death beneath an iron heel. Corporations, which should be the carefully restrained creatures of the law and the servants of the people, are fast becoming the people's masters.”

People Should Law Views Existence Liberty Struggle Masters Becoming Citizens Creatures Achievement Combination Corporations Servant Iron Heels Monopoly Dissent

Book:State of the Union Addresses

Source: State of the Union Addresses

“It was natural and perhaps human that the privileged princes of these new economic dynasties, thirsting for power, reached out for control over government itself. They created a new despotism and wrapped it in the robes of legal sanction. ...And as a result the average man once more confronts the problem that faced the Minute Man.”

Men Humans Problem Government Natural Results Liberty Economic Minutes Average Privileged Dissent Sanctions Despotism Robes Average Man Dynasty

Book:The Essential Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Source: The Essential Franklin Delano Roosevelt