When the public's right to know is threatened, and when the rights of free speech and free press are at risk, all of the other liberties we hold dear are endangered.
quote by Christopher Dodd
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
Helen Thomas
In her time she's seen them all:
Johnson's anguish and Nixon's fall
From Camelot's dissolution
In a grieving nation's tears
Helen Thomas was a witness
to the history of my years.
She held a place of honor
Where all to her deferred:
Senior writer in the press corps
Well respected, sometimes feared.
Now she's fired and disgraced-
banned from her accustomed place.
The arbiters of elegance
took umbrage at her words
Her statement lacked “correctness”
As per the beltway herd
She's a racist and a bigot, An old and senile shrew-
They have no need of sticks and stones who know what words can do.
Once upon a better time
We had a Bill of Rights
The press was free and speech was free
We were vigilant of our rights.
But now it's just a paper
a tapir burning in the night..
These days the press conveys the lies
that government wants heard.
If any dare to disagree
They're soon kicked to the curb.
The rest will heel at master's voice
Like obedient whipped curs.
Her speech may have been hateful
Doubtless many will agree
But speech must be protected
Or else none of us is free.
Where's our Voltaire with courage rare
to defy rank tyranny?
poem by John F. McCullagh
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
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.
quote by Frank Hague
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Let my country be free
Let my country be free:
Free from poverty,
Free from inequality,
Free from debt,
Free from Unfair trade,
free from mal nutrition.
Free from scams,
Free from red tape,
Free from scandals,
Free from unfair elections,
Free from whole corruption.
Free from hatred,
Free from terror act,
Free from casteism,
Free from regionalism,
Free from class reservation.
Free from dirty politics.
Protection of human rights,
Equality in health and education,
Better law and order situation.
Governments’ accountability to citizen.
I want to see my country free, truly free.
(C) S.D. Tiwari
poem by S.D. Tiwari
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Free Speech
Free speech?
You neither have that...
Inside or near,
The boundaries...
Where you believe,
What you say and do is okay.
Especially if it effects,
The placement of my footsteps.
When your free speech,
Begins to tamper with my peace?
You may be free to protest about it...
For as long as you like.
But not in my backyard.
From here you can take a hike.
Since not a penny of tax,
Have you paid...
To cross my path or threshold,
To express your opinions...
About how it is I live my life.
With your aggressive impressions.
Is that understood?
I hope so.
You have no freedom here to do as you please.
I am not from that generation!
Unless you want to experience my freedom,
To give you a taste of my interpretation.
And when I feel threatened,
That's the only freedom here that exists.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
We As Soldiers
They was not born onto this world
to fight a war and lose their lives.
But they did fight a war, and did lose their lives
And it was done to protect you and I.
Now you may think of it as insignificant
Because it is not a family member or friend
But if they died defending your liberties
Then they are family and friends
And can not be with you till the end.
It was that soldier who was on land
Air, or the sea, defending your
rights so that you can be free.
Free to have the freedom of speech
And voice your opinion and beliefs.
And like all things, there is a price
That we must pay for that privilege.
It may be a lost arm, or leg, or an eye
But don’t worry they’ll get by.
They have the perseverance of their convictions
And will not let anything stand in their way
And if it means being in a foxhole, then
That is where they’ll stay.
poem by Louis Rams
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Marks on paper are free - free speech - press - pictures all go together I suppose.
quote by Georgia O'Keeffe
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Headlines (demo 1)
we call ourselves the crown of creation
i wonder what does it mean
we're not the owners of the moon and the earth
it's like a roundabout and it goes round and round for free
we've made some gruesome inventions
yet we're mastered by those systems
we're endangered danger, we're running out of fashion
if we don't care for responsibility, hey-hey
we're endangered danger, we're endangered danger,
we're the headlines today but all that we say is
we're endangered danger,
eric says that we're a lonely species
that's why we're playing the fools
but once we'll enter the aquarian age
i sometimes catch him floating in his swimming-pool, he says
if we'd tune in to our brighter sides
we'd feel like jesus on the waters
cause we're sailors not soldiers so much more for this show
than a guest-appearance in the universe, here we go
we're endangered danger, we're endangered danger,
we're the headlines today but all that we say is
we're endangered danger
song performed by by Alphaville
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Both free speech rights and property rights belong legally to individuals, but their real function is social, to benefit vast numbers of people who do not themselves exercise these rights.
quote by Thomas Sowell
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
On Paper. Not In Reality.
Don't be foolish.
Of course you are entitled to your opinion.
Aren't we living in a society,
That welcomes free speech?
'Yes...
But it seems to me that...'
Next! ?
'I thought you said we live in a society,
That welcomes free speech? '
On paper.
Not in reality.
I've 'earned' my free speech.
Haven't you noticed how I select my words?
Only 'then' are you free to do so as well.
Next?
I will take two more opinions,
And that will be it!
No...
Not yours.
The good looking one,
From the state of Connecticut!
May I have your opinion, please?
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
A rioter with a Molotov cocktail in his hands is not fighting for civil rights any more than a Klansman with a sheet on his back and mask on his face. They are both more or less what the law declares them lawbreakers, destroyers of constitutional rights and liberties and ultimately destroyers of a free America.
quote by Lyndon B. Johnson
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Free Speech!
free speech....
as long as you comply,
as long as what you say
is profitable... for them...
as long as what you say
doesnt ruffle feathers...
as long as what you say
isnt the truth....
free speech....
in spite of, irregardless of,
because we must....
because if we dont,
it goes away!
free speech...
whatever the cost!
poem by Eric Cockrell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Free
It's a free
Society…
Free sex,
Freebies:
Buy one,
Get one
Free…
Freedom
Of the
Press.
But the
Mind is
Still shackled
By age-old
Customs…
Blind traditions
Too many…
Superstitions
Meaningless
Obligati ons…
Release the mind
From these deep,
Dark dungeons…
Let it think free…
For us to breathe
Free…
Let it be free…
poem by Aparna Chatterjee
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The First Amendment does not guarantee the press a constitutional right of special access to information not available to the general public, nor does it cloak the inmate with special rights of freedom of speech.
quote by Pete Wilson
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
The US constitution's First Amendment rights only cover Americans, but I believe that in a democracy the competition of ideas and free speech should combat beliefs that it does not agree with - more speech and debate, not censorship.
quote by Joichi Ito
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Free At Last
Now I am trying to tell you something about my life
Maybe give you insight might just change your life
Im free at last, Im free at last, Im free at last, Im free at last,
Im free at last, Im free at last, Im free at last,
Im free from fooling round wasting time,
Floating in this abyss of your dreadful love
Free is a feeling so high in the sky
Higher higher higher
Free from the quarrels unsatisfaction
Free from the false dream that you planted
In me with your submissive love
Im free at last, Im free at last, Im free at last, Im free at last,
Im free at last, Im free at last, Im free at last,
Now I am open like the sky
For the sun to shine and colors true
To find me blue
Oh what a joy to be free
Im free at last, Im free at last, Im free at last, Im free at last,
Im free at last, Im free at last, Im free at last,
Im free of cheating your poor heart at my own damn expense
The cost was heavy and it rent as a thunder cloud
A hurricane sure racked in my heart
Now the rain is gone and I am gone
Yes, I am moving on
Im free at last, Im free at last, Im free at last,
song performed by by G. Love & Special Sauce
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
This Nation was founded by men of many nations and backgrounds. It was founded on the principle that all men are created equal, and that the rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened. Today we are committed to a worldwide struggle to promote and protect the rights of all who wish to be free. … We are confronted primarily with a moral issue. It is as old as the scriptures and is as clear as the American Constitution. The heart of the question is whether all Americans are to be afforded equal rights and equal opportunities, whether we are going to treat our fellow Americans as we want to be treated.
quote by John F. Kennedy
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
Vote! | Copy!
Oh! ...Those First Amendment Rights
The advocates of free speech!
And, oh! ...those first amendment rights they seek.
With a doing to smear beliefs of others.
Don't you just love the way they use the media to do this?
To express the freedoms to address their druthers,
And at the expense of ruining lives.
So refreshing isn't it?
To know someone can dispense their wickedness.
And use the 'LAW' to get away with it.
To invite a manifesting of worldwide animosity,
Should be a goal and a priority...
Everyone self-righteous should want to achieve.
Free speech speakers on their soapboxes 'miked'...
Feel an entitlement to do what they please and like,
To destroy and destruct over the airwaves or in movies...
Day and night to incite humanity and collect abundantly,
From unknown donors with an inflicting of this mental disease.
But any amendment by law that encourages a dminishing,
Such reconsider what rights people use freely...
To purposely abuse the dignities of others,
With a doing it to whomever and wherever they please.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Freedom Now
They throwed him in jail
And they kept him there
Hoping soo hed die
That his body and spirit would waste away
And soon after that his mind
But every day is born a fool
One who thinks that he can rule
One who says tomorrows mine
One who wakes one day to find
The prison doors open the shackles broken
And chaos in the street
Everybody sing were free free free free
Everybody sing were free free free free
Everybody sing were free free free free
They throwed him in jail
And they kept him there
Hoping his memoryd die
That the people forget how he once led
And fought for justice in their lives
But every day is born a man
Who hates what he cant understand
Who thinks the answer is to kill
Who thinks his actions are gods will
And he thinks hes free free free free
Yes he thinks hes free free free free
He thinks hes free free free free
Soon must come the day
Whe the righteous have their way
Unjustly tried are free
And people live in peace I say
Give the man release
Go on and set your conscience free
Right the wrongs you made
Even a fool can have his day
Let us all be free free free free
Let us all be free free free free
Let us all be free free free free
Free our bodies free our minds
Free our hearts
Freedom for everyone
And freedom now
Freedom now
Freedom now
Freedom now
Let us all be free free free free
Let us all be free free free free
Let us all be free free free free
song performed by by Tracy Chapman
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Free!
free!
free to be hungry!
free to be homeless!
free to be underpaid!
or worse, free to be unemployed.
free to be sick without care!
free to be the object of racial prejudice.
free to be oppressed by the 'haves'!
free to be subjugated to unholy wars!
free to be lied to!
free to be used!
free to be American!
free!
'freedom's just another word
for nothing left to lose! '
kris kristofferson
poem by Eric Cockrell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Make no laws whatever concerning speech, and speech will be free; so soon as you make a declaration on paper that speech shall be free, you will have a hundred lawyers proving that "freedom does not mean abuse, nor liberty license"; and they will define and define freedom out of existence. Let the guarantee of free speech be in every man's determination to use it, and we shall have no need of paper declarations. On the other hand, so long as the people do not care to exercise their freedom, those who wish to tyrannize will do so; for tyrants are active and ardent, and will devote themselves in the name of any number of gods, religious and otherwise, to put shackles upon sleeping men.
quote by Voltairine de Cleyre
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
Vote! | Copy!