Molly Ivins Quotes

In contrast, fear societies are societies in which dissent is banned.

The one indisputable reality of dictatorship is that dissent, insult, and malevolent language do not go unpunished if it is allowed at all.

The enemies of freedom do not argue; they shout and they shoot.

Secrecy is the freedom tyrants dream of.

For an entire populace, change, growth, and spontaneity were dangerous. Acting upon a personal desire, whispering a hidden longing, revealing your true feelings - all the human actions we think of as essential to a character - had be censored by the self lest they be punished by the state.

Social order at the expense of liberty is hardly a bargain.

A state of society where men may not speak their minds cannot long endure.

Under conditions of tyranny it is far easier to act than to think.

I do not exaggerate in designating the present state of affairs in the Southern country as a reign of terror. Persons are torn away from their residences and pursuits…letters are opened at the Post Offices; discussion upon slavery is entirely prohibited under penalty of expulsion…The Northern merchants and travelers are leaving in great numbers.

Absolute discretion is a ruthless master. It is more destructive of freedom than any of man's other inventions

In most of the countries where the people don’t like their government, we are now allowed to ask whether people like their government.

A totalitarian society makes enormous demands on the courage of men, and a partially totalitarian society makes even greater demands because the general anxiety is greater.

Such is the terror--the crushing fear--which is inspired by one man over that multitude, which now submits to his decrees with a zeal, apparently as ardent, as it is certainly abject and submissive. There is not a complaint heard. The calm and dark waters of despotism are never disturbed by the slightest ripple. Not a breath of free thought or manly speech passes over them, but they lie dead and deep, into which every vestige of the people's liberty and freedom has sunk and disappeared.

From politics, it was an easy step to silence.

Where the hand of tyranny is long we do not see the lips of men open with laughter.

To silence criticism is to silence freedom.

Fear of death has been the greatest ally of tyranny past and present.

Conquerors never, never conquer a nation to bring freedom. They brought control.

Whatever crushes individuality is despotism, by whatever name it may be called and whether it professes to be enforcing the will of God or the injunctions of men.

Will dissent be permitted? The answer to that question will determine whether the society is a free society or a fear society.

The strength and power of despotism consists wholly in the fear of resistance.

It is a paradox that every dictator has climbed to power on the ladder of free speech. Immediately on attaining power each dictator has suppressed all free speech except his own.

Persecution is the first law of society because it is always easier to suppress criticism than to meet it.

Wherever they burn books they will also, in the end, burn human beings.

Everybody knows there is no fineness or accuracy of suppression; if you hold down one thing, you hold down the adjoining.