Richard Dreyfuss Quotes

It does not good to shout anyone down….There will be no shouting.

Dialogue between people of differing views is critical for fostering understanding in a democracy.

We may disagree on some things, but we can do so without being disagreeable.

We can argue and we can disagree, but we don’t need to poke our fingers in each other’s eyes in order to get our points across.

Somewhere in this we got into impugning people's character and motives if we didn't like their ideas. We gotta get back to just debating ideas.

I'm all for a passionate debate, and sometimes things can be heated, which is fine, up to a point. As long as we remember that we are human beings.

I enjoy being around people who disagree with me; and I enjoy being in non-political contexts and activities.

Shouting down and intimidating someone from speaking their mind is not exactly a Vermont town meeting value, nor should it be an American town meeting value.

I'm in the civil discourse business. I think it takes all kinds. And more power to everybody.

I have and I will always work to promote a civil public discourse.

Our right to disagree is precious but fragile. The best way to protect and preserve it is to let the other side speak without demonizing them or destroying their right to be heard. Such civil exchanges are the heart beat of democracy - essential to keeping it alive.

True respect means taking other people's beliefs seriously and assuming they are adult and intelligent enough to be able to cope with it if you tell them, clearly and civility, why you think they are totally, utterly and disastrously wrong.

Our civilization is becoming less civil. You don’t have the right to demonize somebody just because they disagree with you.

Public discussion demands at least the profession of good faith.

The crucial part of a citizens' culture is learning to correct others without mistreating them or generating aggression. We need to create a society in which civility rules over cynicism and apathy.

I get very very concerned when I hear people start characterizing their opponents as stupid. I still understand that because politics is a little rough and tumble at times, but I don’t buy it and when they start calling each other either crazy or evil. You and I, we don’t compromise with crazy people or evil people. And so, I don’t think that’s helpful. Generally speaking, just because someone disagrees with you doesn’t make them crazy or evil.

Nobody will ever agree with everything everyone says, especially once an issue or speaker becomes politically charged. But as tolerant and civilized Americans, we should at least have the decency to hear them out.

My hope is to create spaces where people of all stripes can come together and speak at a lower decibel level. We make more sense that way. We sound more like our real selves that way.

You can disagree without being disagreeable. That's always been my mantra.

People have their own opinions, they have the right to express them, they just don't have the right to attack you.

We all lose when bullying and personal attacks become a substitute for genuine conversation and principled disagreement.

I don't believe that using inflammatory rhetoric on either side of a debate is productive.

At the end of the day, we can talk about anything but we have to be respectful.

It's not appropriate to pass judgment when we specifically ask people to voice their opinions... even if you ask a question and agree with the answer.

We need to in this country begin again to raise civil discourse to another level. I mean, we shout and scream and yell and get very little accomplished, but you can disagree very much with the next guy and still be friends and acquaintances.