Thomas Erskine Quotes

We believe that the remedy to any harm resulting from press freedom lies in press freedom itself.

… the Founding Fathers gave the free press the protection it must have to fulfill its essential role in our democracy. The press was to serve the governed, not the governors. The Government's power to censor the press was abolished so that the press would remain forever free to censure the Government. The press was protected so that it could bare the secrets of government and inform the people. Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in government. And paramount among the responsibilities of a free press is the duty to prevent any part of the government from deceiving the people and sending them off to distant lands to die of foreign fevers and foreign shot and shell.

A free press may be good or bad, but without freedom a press can only be bad.

The press is the only institution that is truly accountable. The founding fathers put the First Amendment first for a reason.

In revealing the workings of government that led to the Vietnam War, the newspapers nobly did precisely that which the Founders hoped and trusted they would do.

I respect the press. The press and the media are a very useful watchdog to check the power of the government.

A free press can of course be good or bad, but most certainly, without freedom it will never be anything but bad.

The press was protected so that it could bare the secrets of government and inform the people. Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in government.

Freedom of the press, printing, publication and mass media shall be guaranteed. Censorship on newspapers is forbidden as well as notifying, suspending or cancelling them by administrative methods. In a state of emergency or in time of war a limited censorship may be imposed on the newspapers, publications and mass media in matters related to public safety or purposes of national security in accordance with the law.

What is the liberty of the press? Who can give it any definition that would not leave the utmost latitude for evasion …. Its [the press's] security … must altogether depend on public opinion.

A free press stands as one of the great interpreters between the government and the people. To allow it to be fettered is to fetter ourselves.

We must have a free press. If we are to maintain democracxy as we know it, we must have a free and adversarial press.... That's how dictoators get power [by intimidating, restriciting and censoring the press.]

Democratic societies need a strong media, and WikiLeaks is part of that media.

The press in India, I believe, is more free, and happily so, than perhaps media anywhere in the world. Right? Which is a good thing.

We need a free media, not just freedom of speech.

I take a grave view of the press. It is the weak slat under the bed of democracy.

What would this country be like without the press prying to find out what the government is doing?

The first responsibility of the press is to use its freedom to protect the rights and liberties of all individuals …. If the occasion arises, raise bloody hell.

The newspapers of your country seem to be more powerful than the government.

The political misrepresentation of facts is one of the incidents of a free press in every free country.

The fourth estate which if not well looked to, will turn us all out of doors.

No government ought to be without censors: & where the press is free, no one ever will.

The basis of our government's being the opinion of the people, the very first object should be to keep that right; and were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate for a moment to prefer the latter.

Democracy without a free press is inconceivable.

Our press has too much freedom …. Democracy is a very lovely thing for a developed people.