Samuel Gompers Quote

"The freedom of speech and the freedom of the press have not been granted to the people in order that they may say things which please, and which are based upon accepted thought, but the right to say the things which displease, the right to say the things which convey the new and yet unexpected thoughts, the right to say things, even though they do a wrong."

by:	Samuel Gompers (1850-1924)
Source:	Seventy Years of Life and Labor, 1925
Rating:
Categories:	Dissent, Diversity, Rights, Skepticism, Speech
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-- Anonymous, Reston, VA, US
Tell it to Archer, the self-appointed Czar of conformity on this site.  -- Waffler, Smith
Freedom of Speech allows for all opinions, and was enshrined to ensure people could be heard when in opposition to government policies. ~ "Take away the right to say F**k and you take away the right to say F**k the Government" ~ Lenny Bruce.  -- J Carlton, Calgary
With political correctness rampant in this country, you are never supposed to say anything that could possibly upset anyone. That's why the news media tried to convince us that the shooter at Ft Hood was just a disgruntled soldier who went off his rocker instead of a dedicated Muslim terrorist. Mustn't upset those nice, kindly Muslims.  -- jim k, austin
Should have read"the liberal news media".  -- jim k, austin
One huge, enormous, or otherwise ah-oh in the above quote is 'WHO' is granting the right to freedom of speech. If in the author's concept the who was man, it only gets about one or two stars based solely on the sound correctness and strength of the subject matter. If the source of the right was God or a faculty of birth, I'd like to rate the quote 100 times.  -- Mike, Norwalk
You are so right Jim K, Austin. Political correctness like Chris Mathews, but not Hannity or Beck. The late show "Politically Incorrect" did not last very long because it was TOO truthful. It actually hurt someone's feelings.  -- cal, lewisville, tx
Once again, a trio of interesting quotes, but only Gompers gets a nod from me. He links right back to those "inalienable rights," our very foundation. As a Republican and a capitalist, I am amazed to find myself agreeing with him. I don't agree with much in the labor view of things. I do agree with this quote.  -- J. B. Wulff, Bristol, CT
I give it 4 stars for the end result in that everyone should have the right to say anything they want but shy from giving it 5 because it presumes rights are 'granted' but did not clarify who or what the granter is.  -- Anon

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