Kurt Vonnegut Quotes

If, then, we truly believe in the liberty of conscience, speech and press, we must place ourselves again squarely upon the declaration of rights made by our forefathers, and defend the right of others to disagree with us, even about the beneficence of government

… our respect for First Amendment freedoms is one of the few values that still rises above partisan politics.

I am for the First Amendment from the first word to the last. I believe it means what it says.

No matter what the legislature may say, a man has the right to make his speech, print his handbill, compose his newspaper, and deliver his sermon without asking anyone's permission. The contrary suggestion is abhorrent to our traditions.

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

Constitutional rights must always come before sensitivities.

Freedom of speech is the great bulwark of liberty; they prosper and die together.

The American people must be assured that no federal agency can trample their First Amendment rights.

The First Amendment protects the Internet.

I think that freedom of speech is just that, and groups have the right to support or oppose issues that are going to affect them as well as individuals do.

I believe in the First Amendment.

The FBI holds sacred the rights of individuals to peacefully exercise their First Amendment freedoms.

Individuals have a right to freedom of speech.

It is called the First Amendment. ...Simple words marching in seried ranks. Compact, concise. To the point. Clear and pure. It's freedom's music.

I understand that unless you have a government of laws, rather than a government of people, you cannot protect dissent. And I understand, as a woman who probably would have been burned in the marketplace for witchcraft only about 200 years ago, that I need the First Amendment more than anybody does. And that even if I am repelled by child pornography or Bob Guccione's productions, that I have to protect those things, because essentially it's in my self-interest to do so.

Freedom of speech is central to most every other right that we hold dear in the United States and serves to strengthen the democracy of our great country. It is unfortunate, then, when actions occur that might be interpreted as contrary to this honored tenet.

(W)e do not count heads before enforcing the First Amendment.

The very reason for the First Amendment is to make the people of this country free to think, speak, write and worship as they wish, not as the Government commands.

We all have the right to call each other names. Rudeness is a deeply held constitutional value.

The First Amendment serves not only the needs of the polity but also those of the human spirit - a spirit that demands self-expression .

All these people talk so eloquently about getting back to good old-fashioned values. Well, as an old poop I can remember back to when we had those old-fashioned values, and I say let's get back to the good old-fashioned First Amendment of the good old-fashioned Constitution of the United States - and to hell with the censors! Give me knowledge or give me death!

Freedom of speech and the press must be complete. But then freedom of association must be complete too.

The First Amendment provides the only kind of security system that can preserve a free government - one that leaves the way wide open for people to favor, discuss, advocate, or incite causes and doctrines however obnoxious and antagonistic such views may be to the rest of us.

Those of us who shout the loudest about Americanism, are all too frequently those who . . . ignore some of the basic principles of Americanism-the right to criticize, the right to hold unpopular beliefs, the right to protest, the right of independent thought.

The freedom of speech and the freedom of press, it's just precious man, it really is.