The fact is that censorship always defeats its own purpose, for it creates, in the end, the kind of society that is incapable of exercising real disc… - Henry Steele Commager

The greatest danger that threatens us is neither heterodox thought nor orthodox thought, but the absence of thought.

If government, or those in positions of power and authority, can silence criticism by the argument that such criticism might be misunderstood somewhere, there is an end to all criticism, and perhaps an end to our kind of political system. For men in authority will always think that criticism of their policies is dangerous. They will always equate their policies with patriotism, and find criticism subversive.

But if our democracy is to flourish it must have criticism, if our government is to function it must have dissent. Only totalitarian governments insist upon conformity and they—as we know—do so at their peril.