Looking for inspirational quotes about free speech and expression? We have rounded up the best collection of freedom of speech quotes, sayings, captions, and status, (including images, and pictures) on on protecting our first amendment right.
Freedom of speech, also called free speech, means the freedom of an individual or a community to express their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction by the government.
The right to freedom of expression has been recognised as a human right in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international human rights law by the United Nations.
These famous quotes about freedom of speech are divided into these sections;
Famous Freedom Of Speech Quotes
Free Speech Quotes
Quotes About Freedom Of Speech
Hope you will find inspiration in these freedom of speech quotes and sayings to express your thoughts and opinions in a unrestricted way.
These insightful quotes about free speech are by famous leaders, writers, politicians, and inspired women to inspire you to share your voice and express yourself freely without any limitations.
Don’t forget to also check out these freedom quotes on democracy, leadership and independence.
Famous Freedom Of Speech Quotes
“Free speech is my right to say what you don’t want to hear.” – George Orwell
“The right to free speech is more important than the content of the speech.” – Voltaire
freedom of speech quotes
“Without freedom of speech there is no modern world, just a barbaric one.” – Ai Weiwei
“Freedom of speech should be wide open as long as it doesn’t incite violence.” – Mike Leach
“I do not agree to what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.” – Voltaire
“The freedom of speech is an important yardstick for a society’s level of civilization.” – Ai Weiwei
“Freedom of speech doesn’t protect speech you like; it protects speech you don’t like.” – Larry Flynt
“If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” – George Orwell
“If we do not believe in freedom of speech for those we despise we do not believe in it at all.” – Noam Chomsky
“Give me the liberty to know to utter, and to argue freely according to conscience above all liberties.” – John Milton
“Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.” – Benjamin Franklin
“Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.” – Thomas Jefferson
quotes freedom of speech
“If freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” – George Washington
People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.” – Soren Kierkegaard
“To suppress free speech is a double wrong. It violates the rights of the hearer as well as those of the speaker.” – Frederick Douglass
“We have to uphold a free press and freedom of speech – because, in the end, lies and misinformation are no match for the truth.” – Barack Obama
“We don’t have the freedom of speech to talk about the weather. We have the first amendment so we can say some very controversial things.” – Ron Paul
“It is open for anyone to have freedom of speech, and I guess we can all play a role in trying to make a difference in the world. Particularly if your leader is not helping in that area.” – Lewis Hamilton
“Everyone is in favor of free speech. Hardly a day passes without its being extolled, but some people’s idea of it is that they are free to say what they like, but if anyone else says anything back, that is an outrage.” – Winston Churchill
“Freedom of speech is a principal pillar of a free government: When this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved, and tyranny is erected on its ruins. Republics and limited monarchies derive their strength and vigor from a popular examination into the action of the magistrates.” – Benjamin Franklin, U.S. Founding Father
Free Speech Quotes
For too long, white people have taken “freedom of speech” to mean “freedom to say whatever I want without consequences.” They are now finding out that is no longer true.
Though free speech is a fundamental right where we can express our true opinions and point of view, but it comes with a responsibility.
“This is slavery, not to speak one’s thought.” – Unknown
“Free speech carries with it some freedom to listen.” – Unknown
“Free speech is the cornerstone to every right we have.” – Mark Thomas
“If we can’t say what we think under our roof, then we have no roof.” – Andre Aciman
“I hate to do anything that is going to stop or suppress free speech.” – Donald Trump
“Free speech is meaningless unless it tolerates the speech that we hate.” – Henry Hyde
“Freedom of speech was not created with the intent of letting people be idiots.” – Unknown
“A man has a property in his opinions and the free communication of them.” – James Madison
“Free speech is the whole thing, the whole ball game. Free speech is life itself.” – Salman Rushdie
“When the speech condemns a free press, you are hearing the words of a tyrant.” – Thomas Jefferson
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.” – Martin Luther King. Jr.
Freedom Of Speech Quotes Images
“Without free speech no search for truth is possible… no discovery of truth is useful.” – Charles Bradlaugh
“The freedom of the human mind is recognized in the right to free speech and free press.” – Calvin Coolidge
“The restoration of free speech, free association and free press is almost the whole Swaraj.” – Mahatma Gandhi
democracy and freedom of speech quotes
“Free speech is meant to protect unpopular speech. Popular speech, by definition, needs no protection.” – Neal Boortz
“There would be a restriction on free speech if it involves a matter that would not show respect to another person.” – Carri Jenkins
“If you don’t believe in free speech for people who you hate, fear and disagree with, then you don’t believe in free speech.” – Ricky Gervais
“There is a fine line between free speech and hate speech. Free speech encourages debate whereas hate speech incites violence.” – Newton Lee
“Ignorant free speech often works against the speaker. That is one of several reasons why it must be given rein instead of suppressed.” – Anna Quindlen
“If you don’t believe in free speech you don’t believe in the implicit divinity of mankind. You don’t believe in the sovereignty of the individual.” – Dr. Jordan Peterson
“Free speech carries with it the evil of all foolish, unpleasant venomous things that are said but, on the whole, we would rather lump them than do away with them.” – Winston Churchill
“Arguing that you don’t care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don’t care about free speech because you have nothing to say.” – Edward Snowden
“Fear of serious injury alone cannot justify oppression of free speech and assembly. Mean feared witches and burnt women. It is the function of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears.” – Louis D. Brandeis
Quotes About Freedom Of Speech
Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right, enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. But around the world, there are governments and those wielding power who find many ways to obstruct it.
History is witness to numerous changes and revolution famous freedom fighters, leaders, and writers got with their strong opions through words. Even though they were suppressed but it surfaced and brought great changes.
“Life without liberty is like a body without spirit.” – Khalil Gibran
“Censorship is to art as lynching is to justice.” – Henry Louis Gates
“It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.” – Zell Miller
“Without freedom of speech we would not know who the idiots are.” – Unknown
“There is freedom of speech but I cannot guarantee freedom after speech.” – Idi Amin
“Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves.” – Abraham Lincoln
“Freedom of speech is not freedom to lie, defame nor incite hatred and abuse.” – Jack Monroe
“The strongest weapon against hateful speech is not repression; it is more friend.” – Barack Obama
“What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exists.” – Salman Rushdie
“Freedom of speech is not a license to abuse. It is a responsibility, don’t try and misuse it.” – Unknown
quotes about free speech
“It is clear that not in one thing alone, but in many ways equality and freedom of speech are a good thing.” – Herodotus
“I believe in freedom of speech, but I believe we should also have the right to comment on freedom of speech.” – Stockwell Day
“I accept that people are going to call me awful things every day, and I will always defend their right to do so.” – Barack Obama
“Those who deny freedom to others, deserves it not for themselves; and, under a just God, can not long retain it.” – Abraham Lincoln
“Abuses of the freedom of speech ought to be repressed, but to whom are we to commit the power of doing it?” – Benjamin Franklin
“Today our efforts have three fundamental objectives: Free elections, freedom of speech, and free education.” – Alexander Milinkevich
“We have three precious gifts: the freedom of speech, freedom of conscience and the prudence to never use them both.” – Mark Twain
“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” – Nelson Mandela
“The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theater and causing a panic.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.
“The opinion that one cannot express an opinion, however potentially harmful, is the most dangerous of all.” – Luigina Sgarro
“The more you talk about something or someone or prevent them from expressing themselves, the more you give them strength, even – and perhaps above all – when you talk about them badly.”- Luigina Sgarro
“Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom – and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech.” – Benjamin Franklin
quotes about freedom of speech
“Those who call for censorship in the name of the oppressed ought to recognize it is never the oppressed who determine the bounds of censorship.” – Aryeh Neier
“Freedom of speech means nothing to a people who are too weak in their convictions to speak out against the evil at the heart of the nation like a cancer.” – Billy Graham
“Free speech is not to be regulated like diseased cattle and impure butter. The audience… that hissed yesterday may applaud today, even for the same performance.” – William O. Douglas
“There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.” ― James Madison
“If all mankind minus one were of one opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind.” – John Stuart Mill
“It’s not about contraception. It’s about economic liberty, it’s about freedom of speech, it’s about freedom of religion, it’s about government control of your lives and it’s got to stop!” – Rick Santorum
“Having the freedom of speech doesn’t mean saying whatever you want, it means saying what’s humane, hateless and non-prejudicial.”― Abhijit Naskar
“If my freedom of speech hurts your sentiment, no doubt you are SentiMental” ― Dr. P.S. Jagadeesh Kumar
“At all times, day by day, we have to continue fighting for freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom from want… for these are things that must be gained in peace as well as in war.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“Freedom of speech is unnecessary if the people to whom it is granted do not think for themselves.” – Mokokoma Mokhonoana
“Freedom of speech and thoughts matters, especially when it is speech and thought with which we disagree. The moment the majority decides to destroy people for engaging in thought it dislikes, thought crime becomes a reality.” – Unknown
“Free speech is unthinkable. All other kinds of freedom are permitted. You are free to be a drunkard, an idler, a coward, a backbiter, a fornicator; but you are not free to think for yourself.” – George Orwell
“Western values, freedom of speech, democracy and rights for women are incompatible with Islam, which is a cancer eating away at our freedoms and our democracy and rights for our women and something needs to be done about it.” – Nick Griffin
“Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us.” – William O. Douglas
“We all have the right of freedom of speech under the First Amendment. We all don’t have to agree with one another on our opinions. Everyone in my circle, that I run around with, we all feel the same about God, country, integrity and character.” – Luke Scott
“Without general elections, without freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, without the free battle of opinions, life in every public institution withers away, becomes a caricature of itself, and bureaucracy rises as the only deciding factor.” – Rosa Luxemburg
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” ― United Nations, Universal Declaration of Human Rights
“The right to have the freedom of speech is a high Good, which is there to express ones thoughts and emotions to others in any manner without having to fear to be punished for.” –Vivian Schey
“It’s no trick to support the free speech of somebody you agree with or to whose opinion you are indifferent. The defense of free speech begins at the point when people say something you can’t stand. If you can’t defend their right to say it, then you don’t believe in free speech.” – Salman Rushdie
“Freedom is a fragile thing and is never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. Those who have known freedom, and then lost it, have never known it again.” – Ronald Reagan
These meaningful freedom of speech quotes also cover freedom of speech slogans, inspiring speech about freedom of expression, funny freedom of speech quotes, to emphasize the importance of free speech and expression of thoughts without the misuse of it.
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