Home / Quotes / Quote by Nat Hentoff

Quote by Nat Hentoff

“A liberal was somebody who expected and hoped that government would help the poor - you know, that whole routine. I did not know then and I've learned since that in an area that means a lot to me, free speech, liberals are as bad as many conservatives in trying to censor speech.”

Quote by Nat Hentoff

Author

Nat Hentoff was an American historian known for his contributions to the fields of liberalism and the civil rights movement. Born on June 10, 1925, and passing away on January 7, 2017, Hentoff's work covered a wide range of topics, including music, literature, law, and social justice. more

You May Also Like

“The whole politically correct movement, if it - if that's what it is, was spawned by liberals. So I try to avoid categorizing myself.”

Ifs Trying Whole Movement Politically Correct Categorizing

Author:Nat Hentoff

“I had written a book called "Boston Boy" some years ago, and that took me from the time I could speak, I guess, in Boston through the time when I finally left to come to New York. One was understanding and coping with anti-Semitism. Boston, at the time, was the most anti-Semitic city in the country. And I found out when I was an adolescent that you have to be crazy to go out after dark all by yourself; you'd get your head bashed in.”

Years Book Country Found Left Speak Understanding Dark Cities Boys Written Crazy New York Years Ago Boston Coping Being Crazy Anti Semitism Anti Semitic

Author:Nat Hentoff

“I was introduced to jazz, and that's become a basic concern and passion of mine ever since.”

Passion Mines Concern Jazz

Author:Nat Hentoff

“This book, "Speaking Freely," starts when I came to New York. And the first chapter is about a man who became a friend of mine, much to our mutual surprise, Malcolm X.”

Men Firsts Book New York Mines Surprise Mutual Chapters

Author:Nat Hentoff

“I guess you'd say, including the - what I just spoke about, the learning that liberalism isn't quite as liberal as it pretends to be.”

Including Liberalism Spokes

Author:Nat Hentoff

“Liberalism isn't quite as liberal as it pretends to be. And it goes through my adventures with the FBI during the anti-war period and the civil rights period.”

War Rights Adventure Periods Civil Rights Liberalism Anti War Fbi

Author:Nat Hentoff

“A particular moment - and I'm not, to this day, quite sure how I feel about it - I had always wanted to be in the law books - you know, Hentoff vs. something or other.”

Knows Feels Book Moments Wanted Law Particular This Day Law Books

Author:Nat Hentoff

“Congressman [Richard ] Icord headed a House on American activities committee. It was called the House Internal Security Committee. And he put out a report, and he named a number of very destructive people who lectured at colleges and left arson in their wake and did other terrible things. And he mentioned me and he ascribed to me three organizations to which I'd never belonged, and I decided I would do something about this.”

People Three House Left Numbers Security College Terrible Activity Decided Organization Reports Destructive Internals Committees Terrible Things Congressman Arson

Author:Nat Hentoff

“When the ACLU took my case and we got a ruling I think, for the first time, they could - the Congress could put out the report internally but they couldn't put it out at taxpayers' expense around the country. And I felt odd about that because I, in a way, I was interfering with free speech, but then, you can't always win.”

Thinking Way Firsts Country Winning Felt Cases Speech First Time Congress Odd Reports Expenses Free Speech Interfere Ruling Taxpayers

Author:Nat Hentoff

“I write a syndicated column for The Washington Post that goes to about 200, 250 papers.”

Writing Paper Posts Papers Columns

Author:Nat Hentoff