Eric Metaxas Quotes

Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views.

I believe in freedom of speech, but I believe we should also have the right to comment on freedom of speech.

I was raised to speak out about politics and the world around me. I would do it whether I was in the public or not. It is the way I was taught. The American way.

We will not put a lid on opinions. On the contrary, it is more important than ever that political debates are open and free, even on the most difficult issues. Especially on the most difficult issues. The task is to encourage controversial debates in a form that strengthens democracy.

I think Thomas Jefferson would have said the more speech, the better.

Free speech has remained a quintessential American ideal, even as our society has moved from the ink quill to the touch screen.

While the protection of speech is at the bedrock of our democracy, it's critical as a nation that we exercise our right every day - and that includes embracing and engaging with those we may not agree with.

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

We must not fall into the trap of thinking speech that offends is speech that must be forbidden. A healthy culture demands that much of us, to equip the next generation of Americans with the knowledge and reason they will need to confront an uncertain future.

Personally, I think people need to get over this 'being offended' thing. Being offended does not give you the right to silence people. I get offended by things all the time - it's just part of life. The right not to be offended is not a human right, especially in a democracy.

Freedom of expression must be considered sacred and thought can only be corrected by counter thought.

The problem of freedom in America is that of maintaining a competition of ideas, and you do not achieve that by silencing one brand of idea.

I'm not against speaking publicly and having passion for something. One of the cardinal beauties of America is that we have the freedom to do so.

The idea that the law should punish what is rude; that government should protect our tender sensibilities from those who would - quite often with shallow motivations but sometimes with deeper and more serious complaints - challenge our national certainties and rituals, should alarm and anger us.

You hear about constitutional rights, free speech and the free press. Every time I hear these words I say to myself, 'That man is a Red, that man is a Communist!' You never hear a real American talk like that.

What we have is two important values in conflict: freedom of speech and our desire for healthy campaigns in a healthy democracy. You can't have both.

I think that, as Americans, we should never forget that when we tamper with freedom of speech, it is a very sensitive issue that affects all of our constitutional rights and privileges.

Political criticism is our enemies' best friend.

I suspect that no community will become humane and caring by restricting what its members can say.

I think the most un-American thing you can say is, 'You can't say that.'

Shouting down and intimidating someone from speaking their mind is not exactly a Vermont town meeting value, nor should it be an American town meeting value.

The greatest threat to freedom is the absence of criticism.

If liberalism is to mean anything at all, it is duty bound to support without hesitation the dissenting individual over the group, the heretic over the orthodox, innovation over stagnation, and free speech over offense.

No errors of opinion can possibly be dangerous in a country where opinion is left free to grapple with them.

The capacity to combine commitment with skepticism is essential to democracy.