#minorities

If large numbers of people believe in freedom of speech, there will be freedom of speech, even if the law forbids it. But if public opinion is sluggish, inconvenient minorities will be persecuted, even if laws exist to protect them." [Freedom of the Park, Tribune, 7 December 1945] ↗

— George Orwell

#freedom #freedom-of-speech #liberty #minorities #persecution

[Lighting a cigarette] Well, I'm not here to impinge on anybody else's lifestyle. If I'm in a place where I know I'm going to harm somebody's health or somebody asks me to please not smoke, I just go outside and smoke. But I do resent the way the nonsmoking mentality has been imposed on the smoking minority. Because, first of all, in a democracy, minorities do have rights. And, second, the whole pitch about smoking has gone from being a health issue to a moral issue, and when they reduce something to a moral issue, it has no place in any kind of legislation, as far as I'm concerned. ↗

— Frank Zappa

#morality #rights #smoking #democracy

Women and minorities have excelled beautifully in comedy, but very few women are the lead in a drama. ↗

— Sharon Gless

#comedy #drama #excelled #few #few women

Iran's continued, widespread persecution of ethnic minorities, human rights defenders and political prisoners is a disgrace and stands as a shameful indictment of Iran's leaders. ↗

— William Hague

#defenders #disgrace #ethnic #human #human rights

Sam, that's a great concept. And maybe you believe it. But I'm black and I'm a lesbian, so let me tell you: From what I know? Personal experience? There are always lines. ↗

— Michael Grant

#differences #minorities #experience

Liberals believe they own the franchise on minorities and can't stand any Hispanic or black who breaks rank. ↗

— Linda Chavez

#believe #black #breaks #franchise #hispanic

I've gotten death threats, yes. I have. I think anytime you shine a spotlight on homosexuality or minorities and you try and say they are as normal or as worthy as acceptance as others, the people who are on the fringe don't like that and they will come after you. And they have come after me. ↗

— Ryan Murphy

#after #anytime #come #death #fringe

In establishing democracy, we have to be sensitive to the regional and national context. Democracy also means to guarantee the rights of the minorities. That's my job as a king. We have for example a Jewish ambassador in the US and a Christian in the UK. ↗

— Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

#ambassador #christian #context #democracy #establishing

We have a president who stole the presidency through family ties, arrogance and intimidation, employing Republican operatives to exercise the tactics of voter fraud by disenfranchising thousands of blacks, elderly Jews and other minorities. ↗

— Barbra Streisand

#blacks #elderly #employing #exercise #family

I think that most minorities have experienced some form of racial abuse. ↗

— Lynn Swann

#experienced #form #i #i think #minorities