Respectful Discourse Quotes

Honest difference of views and honest debate are not disunity. They are the vital process of policy among free men.

No, I wouldn't let Trump on my stage... I'd just rather fight him in the car park.

The critical importance of honest journalism and a free flowing, respectful national conversation needs to be had in our country. But it is being buried as collateral damage in a war whose battles include political correctness and ideological orthodoxy.

Academic freedom and free speech mean the right to consider ideas with which you might disagree.

If there are other ways of gracefully and good naturedly surrendering former views to a better considered position, I invoke them all.

A lot of the reason why the debate is acrimonious is because of the 24/7 news cycles, blogs, and people being able to just throw something out there in order to get attention. And I'm not going be out there doing the same thing, trying to trash my successor or call attention to myself. I hope that's a positive contribution to the dialogue.

I never make the mistake of arguing with people for whose opinions I have no respect.

I don't say bad things about my Republican colleagues, ever.

You can question somebody's views and their judgment without questioning their motives or patriotism.

I just want to say what I think and encourage others to say what they think.

Dialogue means debates and everyone's point of view.

Social etiquette dictates that when in mixed company, one should avoid discussing politics and religion. As someone who is quite active on various social portals, I can attest to the visceral emotions that are triggered when these topics are broached!

Jim Sheridan, the MP who wants to ban sketchwriters from the Commons for being rude about politicians, is a blithering idiot. Sorry, scrub that - clearly a very thoughtful person with whom I might conceivably disagree on some marginal issues. A blithering savant, perhaps.

Brown’s core value of promoting the free and open exchange of ideas is bedrock to our capacity to fulfill our mission as a university. This value applies not only when ideas are agreeable and aligned with our own. Protecting the right to free expression and promoting open discourse is even more essential when ideas are divergent, abhorrent or even hurtful.

If you want to give me a good faceful for one of my political positions, I can take it.

If you run a website where people can congregate, you have a moral responsibility to make sure that community is not harassed.

I know Eric Schmidt, and he has different political views from mine. But I think he's a terrific guy.

I'm not OK with clergy, students, and those of different opinions lying and expressing hateful speech in the name of love, but again, it is their constitutional right. I'm not OK with their conduct, but in America we tolerate it, as obnoxious and spiteful as it may be.

My thing is this: You've got to talk about politics because it's out there. But I try to respect the fact that even if you don't have my views, I still respect your view. I may dog your view, but I'll respect that you have that view. And it's OK to come back at me to defend your view.

I've worked very hard in this book to keep the lines of communication open. I don't want to turn someone away from this information for partisan political reasons.

Kid Congress and the Senate, don’t scold em. They are just children that’s never grown up. They don’t like to be corrected in company.

I think anyone who has an opinion, and voices it, will offend someone.

My parents were devoted. Civic minded. We had family counsels. Three of us children against two of them. We lived a 'Leave It to Beaver' time.

Let children read whatever they want and then talk about it with them. If parents and kids can talk together, we won't have as much censorship because we won't have as much fear.

Parents should conduct their arguments in quiet, respectful tones, but in a foreign language. You'd be surprised what an inducement that is to the education of children.