--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Pentagon Papers case stands today as…" description: "\"The Pentagon Papers case stands today as a barrier to silence by official edict.\" — Anthony Lewis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94c/anthony-lewis-25023_barrier_the-pentagon-papers-case-stands-today-as_3087201.jpg" --- # The Pentagon Papers case stands today as a barrier to… ![“The Pentagon Papers case stands today as a barrier to silence by official edict.” quote by Anthony Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94c/anthony-lewis-25023_barrier_the-pentagon-papers-case-stands-today-as_3087201.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94c/anthony-lewis-25023_barrier_the-pentagon-papers-case-stands-today-as_3087201.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94c/anthony-lewis-25023_barrier_the-pentagon-papers-case-stands-today-as_3087201.jpg) > “The Pentagon Papers case stands today as a barrier to silence by official edict.” [Anthony Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The case exemplifies how legal challenges can protect free speech against governmental secrecy. **In simple terms:** Legal battles can defend speech from government censorship. Key Takeaway Defend transparency and press freedom. Themes law free speech government accountability Mood serious inspirational Type political legal When to use this quote - journalism - political activism - legal advocacy Key Concepts first amendment whistleblowing judicial precedent Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens support press freedom today? - What safeguards prevent future censorship? A Different Perspective Even victories can be eroded by new legislation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Pentagon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pentagon/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [ “Had I been given The \[Pentagon\] Papers themselves that early, I would probably have become a prisoner of them—as it was, I had a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-halberstam/had-i-been-given-the-pentagon-papers-themselves-that-early-i-would/) [David Halberstam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-halberstam/) > [I would say that the Pentagon Papers case of 1971 - in which the government tried to block the The New York Times and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-abrams/i-would-say-that-the-pentagon-papers-case-of-1971-in-which-the-2/) [Floyd Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-abrams/) > [I would say that the Pentagon Papers case of 1971 - in which the government tried to block the 'The New York Times' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-abrams/i-would-say-that-the-pentagon-papers-case-of-1971-in-which-the/) [Floyd Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-abrams/) > [“One of its analysts was Daniel Ellsberg, who at the time was back in the States compiling the report that—after he leaked it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-bowden/one-of-its-analysts-was-daniel-ellsberg-who-at-the-time-was-back-in/) [Mark Bowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-bowden/) > [In the Pentagon Papers case, the government asserted in the Supreme Court that the publication of the material was a threat to national security.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/in-the-pentagon-papers-case-the-government-asserted-in-the-supreme/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [In my estimation, there has not been in American history a more important leak than Edward Snowden's release of NSA material, and that definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-ellsberg/in-my-estimation-there-has-not-been-in-american-history-a-more/) [Daniel Ellsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-ellsberg/) > [Say the Pentagon Papers, - that material went much deeper. It went into internal government planning back for twenty - five years. Those are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/say-the-pentagon-papers-that-material-went-much-deeper-it-went-into/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [EVERY attack now made on WikiLeaks and Julian Assange was made against me and the release of the Pentagon Papers at the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-ellsberg/every-attack-now-made-on-wikileaks-and-julian-assange-was-made/) [Daniel Ellsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-ellsberg/) > [The days of the Pentagon Papers debates seem long past, when a sudden transparency yielded insight into fights over war and peace and freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/the-days-of-the-pentagon-papers-debates-seem-long-past-when-a-sudden/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [There should be at least one leak like the Pentagon Papers every year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-ellsberg/there-should-be-at-least-one-leak-like-the-pentagon-papers-every-year/) [Daniel Ellsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-ellsberg/) > [There is no plausible theory under which the record of the Pentagon Papers can be interpreted as relating to the national defense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-is-no-plausible-theory-under-which-the-record-of-the-pentagon/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I was Tea Party years before there was an official Tea Party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niger-innis/i-was-tea-party-years-before-there-was-an-official-tea-party/) [Niger Innis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niger-innis/) > [There's nothing worse - I don't like listening to actors talk about the process, especially when - I mean, for me I've played a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-speedman/there-s-nothing-worse-i-don-t-like-listening-to-actors-talk-about-the/) [Scott Speedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-speedman/) > [When an accident or a crime happens, there's a period of time before the yellow tape goes up, before the official response becomes formalized.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-gilroy/when-an-accident-or-a-crime-happens-there-s-a-period-of-time-before/) [Dan Gilroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-gilroy/) > [In 1887, Oregon became the first state to make Labor Day an official holiday, with Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York quickly following suit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-i-koerner/in-1887-oregon-became-the-first-state-to-make-labor-day-an-official/) [Brendan I. Koerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-i-koerner/) ## More by Anthony Lewis > [Americans who visit Tuscany or Umbria love the landscape: the silvery olive groves, the fields of sunflowers, the vineyards, the stone houses and barns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lewis/americans-who-visit-tuscany-or-umbria-love-the-landscape-the-silvery/) [Anthony Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lewis/) > [Despite all the gains for democracy in the world, in many countries anyone who wants to publish truths unwelcome to the government risks suppression…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lewis/despite-all-the-gains-for-democracy-in-the-world-in-many-countries/) [Anthony Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lewis/) > [Congress has shortchanged not only foreign aid but foreign policy. A mistaken notion that diplomats are unimportant and hence undeserving of support grips conservative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lewis/congress-has-shortchanged-not-only-foreign-aid-but-foreign-policy-a/) [Anthony Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lewis/) > [The First Amendment is very important, but it's not everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lewis/the-first-amendment-is-very-important-but-it-s-not-everything/) [Anthony Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lewis/) > [Freedom under law is hard work. If rulers cannot be trusted with arbitrary power, it is up to citizens to raise their voices at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lewis/freedom-under-law-is-hard-work-if-rulers-cannot-be-trusted-with/) [Anthony Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lewis/) > [We have learned by now, or should have, that the best-intended designers of aid programs can make ghastly mistakes in their sophisticated plans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lewis/we-have-learned-by-now-or-should-have-that-the-best-intended/) [Anthony Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lewis/) > [I am an optimist about America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lewis/i-am-an-optimist-about-america/) [Anthony Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lewis/) > [Over many years, the United States has worked to persuade and compel governments around the world to abide by the rules. By spurning our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lewis/over-many-years-the-united-states-has-worked-to-persuade-and-compel/) [Anthony Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lewis/) > [Attacking the indecency of life in much of the Southern Hemisphere is no longer a matter of grace, of charity, of patronizing kindness. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lewis/attacking-the-indecency-of-life-in-much-of-the-southern-hemisphere-is/) [Anthony Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lewis/) > [I'm a pro-capitalist, middle-of-the-road, tepid centrist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lewis/i-m-a-pro-capitalist-middle-of-the-road-tepid-centrist/) [Anthony Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lewis/) > [Faith in reason was the foundation stone of the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lewis/faith-in-reason-was-the-foundation-stone-of-the-united-states/) [Anthony Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lewis/) > [The only way to security for Israel and a humane life for Palestinians in their own land is political. No matter where the fault…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lewis/the-only-way-to-security-for-israel-and-a-humane-life-for/) [Anthony Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lewis/) > [We Americans have a sense of ourselves as a moral people. We have led the way in the fight for human rights in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lewis/we-americans-have-a-sense-of-ourselves-as-a-moral-people-we-have-led/) [Anthony Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lewis/) > [Even a competent lawyer may not be able to mount an adequate defense against the state, with all its resources, if he has next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lewis/even-a-competent-lawyer-may-not-be-able-to-mount-an-adequate-defense/) [Anthony Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lewis/) > [The Nuremberg trials of Nazi leaders, in open court before an international tribunal, had a profound long-term effect in bringing Germans back to democracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lewis/the-nuremberg-trials-of-nazi-leaders-in-open-court-before-an/) [Anthony Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lewis/) [Explore all 23 Anthony Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lewis/) ## More Barrier quotes > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. 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Once this barrier dissolves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kulkarni/the-only-barrier-to-self-realization-or-enlightenment-is-the-ego-the/) Akshay Kulkarni > [I'd probably play games obsessively if I didn't write, although I admit I don't read novels partly because I don't enjoy it, not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-traviss/i-d-probably-play-games-obsessively-if-i-didn-t-write-although-i/) [Karen Traviss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-traviss/) > [I am a romantic, but I do put up a barrier around myself, so it is hard for people to get in and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-am-a-romantic-but-i-do-put-up-a-barrier-around-myself-so-it-is-hard/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [“The greatest barrier of success is the fear of failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-potter/the-greatest-barrier-of-success-is-the-fear-of-failure/) J.K. Potter > [“I really hope there is a language barrier thing going on here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-ward/i-really-hope-there-is-a-language-barrier-thing-going-on-here/) [Annie Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-ward/) > [Do you know there is always a barrier between me and any man or woman who does not like dogs?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-glasgow/do-you-know-there-is-always-a-barrier-between-me-and-any-man-or-woman/) [Ellen Glasgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-glasgow/) > [Friendship, on the other hand, serves a great host of different purposes all at the same time. In whatever direction you turn, it still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/friendship-on-the-other-hand-serves-a-great-host-of-different/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [I've never really had any barrier to break I guess. I don't really have anything to rebel against. I'm quite lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/i-ve-never-really-had-any-barrier-to-break-i-guess-i-don-t-really/) [Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/) > [The biggest barrier to starting a company isn't ideas, funding or experience. It's excuses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/the-biggest-barrier-to-starting-a-company-isn-t-ideas-funding-or/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [“I tis hopeless to try to convert some borders into seams. Expressways and their ramps are examples. Moreover, even in the case of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-jacobs/i-tis-hopeless-to-try-to-convert-some-borders-into-seams-expressways/) [Jane Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-jacobs/) > [It's amazing that something only an atom thick can be an impenetrable barrier. You can have gas on one side and vacuum or liquid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mceuen/it-s-amazing-that-something-only-an-atom-thick-can-be-an-impenetrable/) [Paul McEuen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mceuen/) > [At a certain point, when there's a barrier between you and what's right, eventually you have to decide you're not going to allow yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamasi-washington/at-a-certain-point-when-there-s-a-barrier-between-you-and-what-s/) [Kamasi Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamasi-washington/) > [Arafat was a barrier to peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/arafat-was-a-barrier-to-peace/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Mind doesn't work properly when taken into a higher level where fear dominates the will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/mind-doesn-t-work-properly-when-taken-into-a-higher-level-where-fear/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) Browse all 158 Barrier quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Pentagon Papers case stands today as a barrier to silence by official edict.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anthony Lewis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lewis/the-pentagon-papers-case-stands-today-as-a-barrier-to-silence-by/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Barrier" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lewis/the-pentagon-papers-case-stands-today-as-a-barrier-to-silence-by/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94c/anthony-lewis-25023_barrier_the-pentagon-papers-case-stands-today-as_3087201.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94c/anthony-lewis-25023_barrier_the-pentagon-papers-case-stands-today-as_3087201.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94c/anthony-lewis-25023_barrier_the-pentagon-papers-case-stands-today-as_3087201.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Pentagon Papers case stands today as a barrier to silence by official edict.” — Anthony Lewis", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anthony Lewis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-lewis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The Pentagon Papers case stands today...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lewis/the-pentagon-papers-case-stands-today-as-a-barrier-to-silence-by/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-lewis/the-pentagon-papers-case-stands-today-as-a-barrier-to-silence-by/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```