“The First Amendment's language leaves no room for inference that abridgments of speech and press can be made just because they are slight. That Amendment provides, in simple words, that "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press." I read "no law . . . abridging" to mean no law abridging.” FirstsMeanMadeLawLanguageSimpleRoomsSpeechPressesCongressAmendmentsFreedom Of SpeechFirst AmendmentInferenceSimple Words Author:Hugo Black
“The general rule of law is, that the noblest of human productions knowledge, truths ascertained, conceptions and ideas become, after voluntary communication to others, free as the air to common use.” HumansIdeasUseLawCommonAirCommunicationProductionsConceptionFree SpeechFreedom Of SpeechRule Of Law Author:Louis D. Brandeis
“Active liberty is particularly at risk when law restricts speech directly related to the shaping of public opinion, for example, speech that takes place in areas related to politics and policy-making by elected officials. That special risk justifies especially strong pro-speech judicial presumptions. It also justifies careful review whenever the speech in question seeks to shape public opinion, particularly if that opinion in turn will affect the political process and the kind of society in which we live.” IfsKindLawPoliticalTurnsStrongProcessLibertyOpinionRiskSpecialPolicyExampleShapesSpeechAreasCarefulActiveRelatedOfficialsJustifyReviewsFreedom Of SpeechPublic OpinionJudicialPresumptionElected OfficialsLive FreePublic OfficialsPolicy Making Author:Stephen Breyer
“The First Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment rights in the United States Constitution were being violated in Albany again and again - freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, the equal protection of the laws - I could count at least 30 such violations. Yet the president, sworn to uphold the Constitution, and all the agencies of the United States government at his disposal, were nowhere to be seen.” FirstsStatesGovernmentLawPresidentUnitedUnited StatesRightsEqualSpeechConstitutionProtectionAgencyAmendmentsFreedom Of SpeechAgain And AgainViolationFirst AmendmentAssemblyState GovernmentUnited States GovernmentEqual ProtectionAlbanyFreedom Of AssemblyFourteenth Amendment Author:Howard Zinn
“In Islam there is a line between let's say freedom and the line which is then transgressed into immorality and irresponsibility and I think as far as this writer is concerned, unfortunately, he has been irresponsible with his freedom of speech. Salman Rushdie or indeed any writer who abuses the prophet, or indeed any prophet, under Islamic law, the sentence for that is actually death. It's got to be seen as a deterrent, so that other people should not commit the same mistake again.” PeopleThinkingShouldHas BeensLawLinesMistakeSpeechConcernedAbuseIslamSentencesCommitProphetIslamicFreedom Of SpeechIrresponsibleImmoralitySame MistakesIrresponsibilityDeterrentRushdieIslamic Law Author:Cat Stevens
“A law imposing criminal penalties on protected speech is a stark example of speech suppression.” LawExampleSpeechCriminalsProtectedFreedom Of SpeechPenaltiesStarksImposingSuppression Author:Anthony Kennedy