Ted Kennedy Quotes

It seems that the right of freedom of speech that was enshrined in numerous constitutions is now under attack by religious institutions.

We have to worry about protecting the Constitution.

The Constitution does not allow the unnecessary trammeling of free expression, even for the noblest of purposes.

It is our firm belief, nay a conviction which constitutes one of the basic values of a free society to which we are wedded under our Constitution, that there must be freedom not only for the thought that we cherish, but also for the thought that we hate

If there is any principle of the Constitution that more imperatively calls for attachment than any other, it is the principle of free thought — not free thought for those who agree with us but freedom for the thought we hate.

I think one of the brilliant parts of our democracy is how resilient it is. We are each allowed to have our own beliefs and, as long as we follow the rule of law, we can express them however we'd like. This is a unique characteristic of the best democracies and one I value tremendously.

The First Amendment means everything to me.

Free speech is the cornerstone to every right we have.

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

The Constitution gives every American the inalienable right to make a damn fool of himself.

The Framers of the Constitution knew that free speech is the friend of change and revolution. But they also knew that it is always the deadliest enemy of tyranny.

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

It's always easy to get people to condemn threats to free speech when the speech being threatened is speech that they like. It's much more difficult to induce support for free speech rights when the speech being punished is speech they find repellent.

And, I hope now that everybody understands that the Labour Party - as it always has done - stands for free speech and individual Members of the Labour Party are entitled to exercise that free speech.

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

In a democracy, expressing disagreement with the government’s actions does not amount to sedition or insurrection—it is, and must remain, protected speech.

Freedom of speech, freedom to criticize pillars of government, freedom to form parties and freedom of the press within the framework of the constitution are among the absolute rights of the public.

The Constitution is a delusion and a snare if the weakest and humblest man in the land cannot be defended in his right to speak and his right to think as much as the strongest in the land.

I think the great thing about the 1st Amendment is that it extends its rights to everyone. The wise and the foolish.

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

This is a country where loose talk is encouraged by the Constitution.

The principle of free speech [is] no new doctrine born of the Constitution of the United States. [It is] a heritage of English-speaking peoples, which has been won by incalculable sacrifice, and which they must preserve so long as they hope to live as free men.

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

We are the only country that allows and protects hate speech.

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