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About this quote

What does it mean?
Warren uses a sword metaphor to describe how censorship damages free expression deeply.
In plain terms
Censorship hurts free speech badly.
What can you take from it?
Censorship harms freedom profoundly.

Where it applies

  • legal arguments
  • civil liberties advocacy

Putting it to work

  • arguing against censorship

Questions to consider

  • What does free expression need?
  • How is speech silenced?

Another view

It focuses on effect without detailing the legal context.

More from Earl Warren

  1. Many people consider the things which government does for them to be social progress, but they consider the things government does for others as socialism.

    Permalink to quote #19
  2. The fantastic advances in the field of electronic communication constitute a greater danger to the privacy of the individual.

    Permalink to quote #21
  3. Life and liberty can be as much endangered from illegal methods used to convict those thought to be criminals as from the actual criminals themselves.

    Permalink to quote #18

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