Free speech

posted in political by jon on 2008-08-11

I tend to be an absolutist about most things, and freedom of speech is no exception. Some of my favorite quotes on the subject.

It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself --Thomas Jefferson

And John Milton, who pretty much says it as well as it could be said.

And though all the winds of doctrine were let loose to play upon the earth, so Truth be in the field, we do injuriously by licensing and prohibiting to misdoubt her strength. Let her and Falsehood grapple; who ever knew Truth put to the worse in a free and open encounter?. .... She needs no policies, nor stratagems, nor licensings to make her victorious; those are the shifts and the defences that error uses against her power: give her but room, and do not bind her when she sleeps

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