Jim Hightower Quotes

In a democracy, dissent is an act of faith.

Opinion and protest are the life breath of democracy—even when it blows heavy.

Democracy depends on people speaking out, and in times of great crisis, on people creating a commotion.

This is what people do in America. They get out. They demonstrate. They let their voices with heard.

You know, when we get to a point in this country where dissent is extremism, we've turned, I think, a very dark page in our history. And I don't want us to go there. I encourage Americans and I'm - right now, to go to these town hall meetings, to - to talk to your Congressmen, the people that you elected.

Bring it on. Dissent is central to any democracy.

But why shouldn't I speak out? Don't you speak out in this country?

In democracy dissent is an act of faith. Like medicine, the test of its value is not its taste, but its effect,...

Without the ability to criticize unjust laws in powerful symbolic ways, we can't change them. And the point of a democracy is that people should be able to convince other people to change a law.

I want to be proud of this country, but when aspects of our policy don't align with my ethics, I want to protest them and try to change them.

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.

We have the freedom of speech. We are able to hold hands in protest and stand up for what we believe in and have people hear what you have to say.

I know a lot of people say, 'You're an athlete or actor... and you shouldn't speak up.' I think that makes no sense. No matter who you are, no matter what you do in the country, you're a part of our democracy, and if you have a voice, you need to use it.

You need people with the courage to stand up and voice their opposition without being labeled unpatriotic.

Democracy is not what we hate the most and what we fear the most. We need to stand up.

I became active in politics because I saw the possibility, if we all sat back and did nothing, of a world in which there would no longer be any stages for actors to act on.

People say, 'If you don't vote, then you don't have a right to say anything. But nine times outta 10, I pay more taxes than they do - so even if I don't vote, I still have the right to speak out.

If the people of America do not rise up, take ownership of our country, we're going to lose it forever.

If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal.

The real truth is, I just want to keep the voice of dissent alive in all of our elections. I don't really want to hang out with politicians.

I strongly believe in political activity that has to do with choices - and not consensus that sometimes covers problems and doesn't resolve them.

There is nothing negative about a group of people crying out for democracy - and if my voice counts, I will be vocal.

So long as we have enough people in this country willing to fight for their rights, we'll be called a democracy.

In 2012, I see the potential for people to come together, huge moments of political and social engagement where elections are part of the strategy for change, but not the end goal and not the only thing that matters.

Allow peaceful demonstrations and the next thing you know people will want a voice in running things.