Elmer Davis Quotes

Men must also be allowed the publication of their opinions, if this be done with decency and seriousness, for the learned can have no right to say that they are in possession of the truth, still less can the unlearned, unless every grave man can offer his opinions, be they what they may…

It is not undemocratic to express one's difference of opinion.

… if freedom of speech means anything, it means a willingness to stand and let people say things with which we disagree, and which do weary us considerably.

As long as men are free to ask what they must, free to say what they think, free to think what they will, freedom can never be lost and science can never regress.

If you disagree with me, fine! Because that's the great thing about America, we can disagree!

Every man has a right to his opinion, but no man has the right to be wrong in his facts.

The University is not engaged in making ideas safe for students. It is engaged in making students safe for ideas. Thus it permits the freest expression of views before students, trusting to their good sense in passing judgment on these views. Only in this way can it best serve American democracy.

I'm a great believer in freedom of speech.

I think most people like a bit of freedom and hearing things that they might not agree with, rather than just having everybody shutting their mouths.

While people can differ on the issues, no one should seek to discourage freedom of speech.

One of the hallmarks of higher education and of democracy is the ability to converse with people with whom we disagree.

I would love it if everybody in America agreed with me on every issue. I can't get my wife to agree with me on every issue, let alone the American people. It's called democracy. That's what it's about.

And I think both the left and the right should celebrate people who have different opinions, and disagree with them, and argue with them, and differ with them, but don't just try to shut them up.

Good people can disagree - all you want is honesty, because you know, if I disagree, I'm willing to debate you on that, and then let the public decide what's good policy and bad policy.

I do not want the voice of the people shut out.

One has the right to be wrong in a democracy.

Freedom is hammered out on the anvil of discussion, dissent, and debate.

I am an optimist, and I believe that people are inherently good and that if you give everyone a voice and freedom of expression, the truth and the good will outweigh the bad.

Of course there are always exceptions, but opinions are not to be feared.

In fact, I would defend to the death their right to express a different point of view.

I can think that you are mistaken, but I have to be ready to give my life to maintain your right to make mistakes. I have to, though, have the right to say that you're mistaken. This is the principal of the liberal society.

When a man fails to see the truth of certain generally accepted views, there is no law compelling him to provoke animosity by announcing his dissent.

This is a nation that has lost the ability to be self-critical, and that makes a lie out of the freedoms.

When we say 'democracy' we have to mean what we say.

The word 'tolerance' once meant we all have the right to argue rationally for our deepest convictions in the public arena. Now it means those convictions are not even subject to rational debate.