Sam Ervin Quotes

Free speech is the cornerstone to every right we have.

One of the great rights as an American citizen is freedom of speech, one of the things that makes this country what it is.

I am a firm supporter of the First Amendment, no matter the views expressed.

In America it's live by the sword of freedom of expression and be will to die by it as well.

The fact that we're protected under that Constitution in exercising the right of free speech, it's a wonderful thing. You've got to come from somewhere else to realize how valuable it is.

The freedom of thought and expression is one of the most sacred rights in this country.

I begin to feel like most Americans don't understand the First Amendment, don't understand the idea of freedom of speech, and don't understand that it's the responsibility of the citizen to speak out.

Our birthright under the 1st Amendment is to foster the voices of dissent.

Free speech, free press, free religion, the right of free assembly, yes, the right of petition—well, they are still radical ideas.

The Liberty of Conscience and of the Press cannot be cancelled, abridged, restrained, or modified by any authority of the United States

There should be constitutional liberty of speech and freedom of thought, which is the elementary right of every citizen under any civilized form of Government

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.

It was not by accident or coincidence that the rights to freedom in speech and press were coupled in a single guaranty with the rights of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition for redress of grievances. All these, though not identical, are inseparable. They are cognate rights, and therefore are united in the first Article's assurance.

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

We congratulate American freedom of speech and all who still believe in it.

I want to stand up for free speech.

Honestly, this country was built on freedom of speech and freedom of expression, and when you can no longer do that, then it is no longer based on that, you know.

I'm a big believer in the idea that one of the greatest advantages we have here in the United States is freedom of expression and freedom of speech. You should be able to say whatever you want, and I firmly believe that.

People have the right to say what they want to.

Freedom of speech is, to all Americans, as oxygen is to the human condition. It is a right that has been irreversibly programmed into our hard drive. We are free to speak our minds. An artist's right to express him or herself as best suits their art, is the artist's prerogative and it is guaranteed.

I'm not interested in censorship. I like the First Amendment very much.

I try to do that in this book without preaching - to try to do as you just said that you really have to defend the First Amendment rights of everybody.

And a democracy can't exist without free speech and the right to assemble. And that's what Americans tend to forget. And they're born into a culture where they take all of their freedoms for granted.

I think that, as Americans, we should never forget that when we tamper with freedom of speech, it is a very sensitive issue that affects all of our constitutional rights and privileges.

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