---
title: "2 Democratic society Quotes By John Paul Stevens"
description: "2 Democratic society quotes by John Paul Stevens. Plus more from John Paul Stevens and more Democratic society sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/658/john-paul-stevens-12128_absence_as-a-matter-of-constitutional-tradition_273647.jpg"
---

> [As a matter of constitutional tradition, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, we presume that governmental regulation of the content of speech is more likely to interfere with the free exchange of ideas than to encourage it. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/as-a-matter-of-constitutional-tradition-in-the-absence-of-evidence-to/)

[John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/658/john-paul-stevens-12128_absence_as-a-matter-of-constitutional-tradition_273647.jpg)

> [The interest in encouraging freedom of expression in a democratic society outweighs any theoretical but unproven benefit of censorship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/the-interest-in-encouraging-freedom-of-expression-in-a-democratic/)

[John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ffd/john-paul-stevens-12128_benefits_the-interest-in-encouraging-freedom-of-e_1407288.jpg)

## Other authors on Democratic society

- [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b005/author-bill-ayers-17832.jpg) Bill Ayers 9 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-society/bill-ayers/)
- [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b013/author-john-dewey-51243.jpg) John Dewey 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-society/john-dewey/)
- [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b001/author-abhijit-naskar-99.jpg) Abhijit Naskar 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic-society/abhijit-naskar/)

## More by John Paul Stevens

> [When the commission finds that a pig has entered the parlor, the exercise of its regulatory power does not depend on proof that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/when-the-commission-finds-that-a-pig-has-entered-the-parlor-the/)

[John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/)

> [The practice of executing such offenders is a relic of the past and is inconsistent with evolving standards of decency in a civilized society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/the-practice-of-executing-such-offenders-is-a-relic-of-the-past-and/)

[John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/)

> [It is not our job to apply laws that have not yet been written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/it-is-not-our-job-to-apply-laws-that-have-not-yet-been-written/)

[John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/)

> [As a matter of constitutional tradition, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, we presume that governmental regulation of the content of speech…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/as-a-matter-of-constitutional-tradition-in-the-absence-of-evidence-to/)

[John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/)

> [I announced my dissent in the Citizens United orally, and I stumbled in my announcement. I had a little difficulty expressing myself. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/i-announced-my-dissent-in-the-citizens-united-orally-and-i-stumbled/)

[John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/)

> [Public officials, including state legislators, have a duty to act impartially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/public-officials-including-state-legislators-have-a-duty-to-act/)

[John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/)

> [District of Columbia v. Heller, which recognized an individual right to possess a firearm under the Constitution, is unquestionably the most clearly incorrect decision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/district-of-columbia-v-heller-which-recognized-an-individual-right-to/)

[John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/)

> [After all, a district judge who gives harsh sentences to Yankees fans and lenient sentences to Red Sox fans would not be acting reasonably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/after-all-a-district-judge-who-gives-harsh-sentences-to-yankees-fans/)

[John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/)

> [All I can say is I did the best I could, and I didn't do well enough on many occasions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/all-i-can-say-is-i-did-the-best-i-could-and-i-didn-t-do-well-enough/)

[John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/)

> [It almost seems I was writing two separate books, the first one about the time before I went on the court and the second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/it-almost-seems-i-was-writing-two-separate-books-the-first-one-about/)

[John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/)

> [One thing, however, is certain. Although we may never know with complete certainty the identity of the winner of this year's presidential election, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/one-thing-however-is-certain-although-we-may-never-know-with-complete/)

[John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/)

> [I'm a person who plays Ping-Pong once in a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/i-m-a-person-who-plays-ping-pong-once-in-a-while/)

[John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/)

> [Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/anonymity-is-a-shield-from-the-tyranny-of-the-majority/)

[John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/)

> [I think maybe the people in elected positions are more interested in preserving their jobs than in doing the best job possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/i-think-maybe-the-people-in-elected-positions-are-more-interested-in/)

[John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/)

> [When I joined the Supreme Court in 1975, both state and federal judges accepted the Court's unanimous decision in United States v. Miller as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/when-i-joined-the-supreme-court-in-1975-both-state-and-federal-judges/)

[John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/)

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