Quote of the Day: What Free Speech Is and Is Not

Bravest Man in America's picture
Submitted by Bravest Man in ... on Tue, 2007-12-18 04:27.

"Freedom of speech means freedom from interference, suppression or punitive action by the government—and nothing else. It does not mean the right to demand the financial support or the material means to express your view at the expense of other men who may not wish to support you. Freedom of speech includes the freedom not to agree, not to listen and not to support one's own antagonists. A 'right' does not include the material implementation of that right by other men; it includes only the freedom to earn that implementation by one's own effort. Private citizens cannot use physical force or coercion; they cannot censor or suppress anyone's views or publications. Only the government can do so. And censorship is a concept that pertains only to government action."

Ayn Rand, The Fascist New Frontier


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