#politics

If you're not going to use your free speech to criticize your own government, then what the hell is the point of having it? ↗

— Michel Templet

#freedom-of-speech #politics #freedom

I'm not interested in how things were, or how we ended up where we are now. What interests me is what we are now and what we will be. ↗

— Ahmed Toufiq

#freedom

When widely followed public figures feel free to say anything, without any fact-checking, it becomes impossible for a democracy to think intelligently about big issues. ↗

— Thomas L. Friedman

#democracy-fascism #democracy-freedom #democracy-voting #democrats #elections

Fighting in the name of freedom has too high a price," Merlin sighed as he leaned into his mother's arms. ↗

— Dee Marie

#avalon #merlin #politics #wisdom #freedom

I realize that what happened in Bosnia could happen anywhere in the world, particularly in places that are diverse and have a history of conflict. It only takes bad leadership for a country to go up in flames, for people of different ethnicity, color, or religion to kill each other as if they had nothing in common whatsoever. Having a democratic constitution, laws that secure human rights, police that maintain order, a judicial system, and freedom of speech don't ultimately guarantee long lasting peace. If greedy or bloodthirsty leaders come to power, it can all go down. It happened to us. It can happen to you. ↗

— Savo Heleta

#bosnia-and-herzegovina #bosnian-war #democracy #government #history

It is complete nihilism to propose laying down arms in a world where atom bombs are around. It is very simple: there is no way of achieving peace other than with weapons. ↗

— Karl Popper

#war #freedom

Freedom of speech and freedom of action are meaningless without freedom to think. And there is no freedom of thought without doubt. ↗

— Bergen Evans

#freedom

It is not for you to say - you Englishmen, who have conquered your freedom so long ago, that you have conveniently forgotten what blood you shed, and what extremities you proceeded to in the conquering - it is not for you to say how far the worst of all exasperations may, or may not, carry the maddened men of an enslaved nation. The iron that has entered into our souls has gone too deep for you to find it. Leave the refugee alone! Laugh at him, distrust him, open your eyes in wonder at the secret self which smolders in him, sometimes under the every-day respectability and tranquility of a man like me - sometimes under the grinding poverty, the fierce squalor, of men less lucky, less pliable, less patient than I am - but judge us not. In the time of your first Charles you might have done us justice - the long luxury of your freedom has made you incapable of doing us justice now. ↗

— Wilkie Collins

#justice #politics #understanding #freedom

Wenn wir uns erinnern, wie rassisch, religiös und politisch Verfolgte, die vom sicheren Tod bedroht waren, oft vor geschlossenen Grenzen anderer Staaten standen, werden wir vor denen, die heute wirklich verfolgt sind und bei uns Schutz suchen, die Tür nicht verschließen." [Ansprache am 8. Mai 1985 in der Gedenkstunde im Plenarsaal des Deutschen Bundestages] ↗

— Richard von Weizsäcker

#bigotry #freedom #intolerance #persecution #politics

Anyone even remotely suspect was interrogated, because interrogation is by far the most effective method of speedily banishing inappropriate thoughts from the mind. ↗

— Olli Jalonen

#government #interrogation #politics #torture #freedom