Jimmy Wales Quotes

That I have the right to express myself freely at all times in all circumstances entails the idea that free speech is a 'basic human right' possessed by each individual, and, as such, trumps the interests of the society or group, including my neighbour.

Free speech is meant to protect unpopular speech. Popular speech, by definition, needs no protection.

I'm as keen as the next person to preserve the right to free speech.

I live in America. I have the right to write whatever I want. And it's equaled by another right just as powerful: the right not to read it. Freedom of speech includes the freedom to offend people.

The 1st Amendment protects the right to speak, not the right to spend.

We had a responsibility to represent all people whose 1st Amendment rights were at risk

[E]rroneous statement … must be protected if the freedoms of expression are to be given the breathing space that they need ... to survive.

… the Civil Liberties Union was defending the right of Abramovitch to lie without interruption or heckling.

If Thomas Jefferson had heard us, he probably would have said, 'We shouldn't have free speech.'

We should silence anyone who opposes the right to freedom of speech.

No one respects the First Amendment more than I do. People have a right to express their concerns and their hopes and dreams to their government.

Freedom of speech means that you shall not do something to people either for the views they express, or the words they speak or write.

With the right of free speech goes the right of free silence.

Fear of serious injury alone cannot justify suppression of free speech and assembly.

We do not debar Congress from all action upon the freedom of speech. Legislation that abridges that freedom is forbidden, but not legislation to enlarge and enrich it

Under the privilege of the 1st Amendment many, many ridiculous things are said.

Free speech is the bedrock of liberty and a free society. And yes, it includes the right to blaspheme and offend.

As a young constitutional lawyer, I was put to the first amendment test when I was called on to defend racists and neo-Nazis. I really had no choice. Surely now we know that none of us do. Free speech is unequivocal, unpolitical, and indivisible.

Inconvenience does not absolve the government of its obligation to tolerate speech

If there is a bedrock principle of the First Amendment, it is that the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable.

Political speech is indispensable to decision-making in a democracy, and this is no less true because the speech comes from a corporation. By taking the right to speak from some and giving it to others, the Government deprives the disadvantaged person or class of the right to use speech to strive to establish worth, standing, and respect for the speaker’s voice. The Government may not by these means deprive the public of the right and privilege to determine for itself what speech and speakers are worthy of consideration. The First Amendment protects speech and speaker, and the ideas that flow from each.

The First Amendment is often inconvenient. But that is beside the point. Inconvenience does not absolve the government of its obligation to tolerate speech.

You cannot prevent me from talking. I am exercising my right to free speech.

We in the Netherlands have the right to demonstrate and the right to speak up if we don't agree with something.

Journalists and everyone in America has a constitutional right to express themselves or write what they want to write.