---
title: "1 Dissenting Quotes By William O. Douglas"
description: "1 Dissenting quotes by William O. Douglas. Plus more from William O. Douglas and more Dissenting sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d93/william-o-douglas-2931_civil-rights_these-examples-and-many-others-demonstra_2671855.jpg"
---

> [“These examples and many others demonstrate an alarming trend whereby the privacy and dignity of our citizens is being whittled away by sometimes imperceptible steps. Taken individually, each step may be of little consequence. But when viewed as a whole,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/these-examples-and-many-others-demonstrate-an-alarming-trend-whereby/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d93/william-o-douglas-2931_civil-rights_these-examples-and-many-others-demonstra_2671855.jpg)

## More by William O. Douglas

> [The First Amendment makes confidence in the common sense of our people and in the maturity of their judgement the great postulate of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/the-first-amendment-makes-confidence-in-the-common-sense-of-our/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [Common sense often makes good law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/common-sense-often-makes-good-law/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [Inanimate objects are sometimes parties to litigation. A ship has a legal personality, a fiction found useful for maritime purposes. The corporation sole -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/inanimate-objects-are-sometimes-parties-to-litigation-a-ship-has-a/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [Any test that turns on what is offensive to the community's standards is too loose, too capricious, too destructive of freedom of expression to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/any-test-that-turns-on-what-is-offensive-to-the-community-s-standards/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [I've often thought that if planners were botanists, zoologists, geologists, and people who know about the earth, we would have much more wisdom in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/i-ve-often-thought-that-if-planners-were-botanists-zoologists/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [I have the same confidence in the ability of our people to reject noxious literature as I have in their capacity to sort out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/i-have-the-same-confidence-in-the-ability-of-our-people-to-reject/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [The liberties of none are safe unless the liberties of all are protected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/the-liberties-of-none-are-safe-unless-the-liberties-of-all-are/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [A function of free speech under our system of government is to invite dispute. It may indeed best serve its high purpose when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/a-function-of-free-speech-under-our-system-of-government-is-to-invite/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [At the constitutional level where we work, 90 percent of any decision is emotional. The rational part of us supplies the reasons for supporting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/at-the-constitutional-level-where-we-work-90-percent-of-any-decision/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [To be whole and harmonious, man must also know the music of the beaches and the woods. He must find the thing of which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/to-be-whole-and-harmonious-man-must-also-know-the-music-of-the/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [Sunlight is the best disinfectant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/sunlight-is-the-best-disinfectant/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [We deal with a right of privacy older than the Bill of Rights-older than our political parties, older than our school system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/we-deal-with-a-right-of-privacy-older-than-the-bill-of-rights-older/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [It is our attitude toward free thought and free expression that will determine our fate. There must be no limit on the range of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/it-is-our-attitude-toward-free-thought-and-free-expression-that-will/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [The interests of the corporation state are to convert all the riches of the earth into dollars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/the-interests-of-the-corporation-state-are-to-convert-all-the-riches/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

> [There have always been grievances and youth has always been the agitator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/there-have-always-been-grievances-and-youth-has-always-been-the/)

[William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/)

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