--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The greater the importance to…" description: "\"The greater the importance to safeguarding the community from incitements to the overthrow of our institutions by force and violence, the more imperati..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b5/charles-evans-hughes-19073_assembly_the-greater-the-importance-to-safeguardi_1698235.jpg" --- # The greater the importance to safeguarding the community… ![“The greater the importance to safeguarding the community from incitements to the overthrow of our institutions by force and violence, the more imperative is the need to preserve the constitutional rights of free speech, free press and free assembly in order to maintain the opportunity for free…” quote by Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b5/charles-evans-hughes-19073_assembly_the-greater-the-importance-to-safeguardi_1698235.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b5/charles-evans-hughes-19073_assembly_the-greater-the-importance-to-safeguardi_1698235.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b5/charles-evans-hughes-19073_assembly_the-greater-the-importance-to-safeguardi_1698235.jpg) > “The greater the importance to safeguarding the community from incitements to the overthrow of our institutions by force and violence, the more imperative is the need to preserve the constitutional rights of free speech, free press and free assembly in order to maintain the opportunity for free political discussion.” [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing security and liberty means protecting speech even when it could incite unrest, because open debate is essential for a healthy democracy. **In simple terms:** Protect speech to keep democracy alive. Key Takeaway Defend free expression despite risks. Themes freedom democracy security rights Mood thoughtful serious Type political legal When to use this quote - political rallies - media reporting - online forums - legislative debates Key Concepts constitutional law civil liberties public safety Questions to Reflect On - How can societies protect speech while limiting hate? - What safeguards prevent abuse of free assembly? A Different Perspective Free speech can be abused to spread hate, requiring careful legal limits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Constitutional rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitutional-rights/) [Free press](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-press/) [Free speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-speech/) [Imperatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperatives/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Individual rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual-rights/) [Institutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/institutions/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) ## Related quotes > [Violence becomes imperative when an attempt is made to assert rights without any reference to duties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/violence-becomes-imperative-when-an-attempt-is-made-to-assert-rights/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [The Scalia seat is defense. We're not going to get any better than Justice Scalia. The best we can do is preserve constitutional victories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-scalia-seat-is-defense-we-re-not-going-to-get-any-better-than/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [ It is by far the safer course to lay \[considerations of the future\] altogether aside; and to confine our attention wholly to the nature… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/it-is-by-far-the-safer-course-to-lay-considerations-of-the-future/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [For activists who want to preserve constitutional democracy, who don't believe in hereditary aristocracy, who believe that teachers ought to be able to deduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/for-activists-who-want-to-preserve-constitutional-democracy-who-don-t/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) > [There is no doubt that Republican control of the Senate is the only way to preserve the Constitutional integrity of our Supreme Court, realign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-wilcox/there-is-no-doubt-that-republican-control-of-the-senate-is-the-only/) [Todd Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-wilcox/) > [“The rights we have as free individuals is the right to choose as we please.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/the-rights-we-have-as-free-individuals-is-the-right-to-choose-as-we/) [steven redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [There is no country on Earth where Internet and telecommunications companies do not face at least some pressure from governments to do things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/there-is-no-country-on-earth-where-internet-and-telecommunications/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [“If there's one American belief I hold above all others, it's that those who would set themselves up in judgment on matters of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/if-there-s-one-american-belief-i-hold-above-all-others-it-s-that-2/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I am a technological activist. I have a political agenda. I am in favor of basic human rights: to free speech, to use any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bram-cohen/i-am-a-technological-activist-i-have-a-political-agenda-i-am-in-favor/) [Bram Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bram-cohen/) > [I actually think it is people like myself who have been fighting for our rights to free speech and I would like the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/medea-benjamin/i-actually-think-it-is-people-like-myself-who-have-been-fighting-for/) [Medea Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/medea-benjamin/) > [“I am in everything that stands for justice and the natural rights of free men everywhere.I am American Amaranth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ortiz/i-am-in-everything-that-stands-for-justice-and-the-natural-rights-of/) J R Ortiz > [These are all voluntary resources which help parents sort out the choices without infringing on the artists rights to free speech, which is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tipper-gore/these-are-all-voluntary-resources-which-help-parents-sort-out-the/) [Tipper Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tipper-gore/) > [If there's one American belief I hold above all others, it's that those who would set themselves up in judgment on matters of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/if-there-s-one-american-belief-i-hold-above-all-others-it-s-that/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [ A theory deeply etched in our law \[is that\] a free society prefers to punish the few who abuse the rights of free speech… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/a-theory-deeply-etched-in-our-law-is-that-a-free-society-prefers-to/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [Women who don't control their own reproductive rights are not free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/women-who-don-t-control-their-own-reproductive-rights-are-not-free/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) ## More by Charles Evans Hughes > [War should be made a crime, and those who instigate it should be punished as criminals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/war-should-be-made-a-crime-and-those-who-instigate-it-should-be/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [The Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal will take care of themselves. Look after the courts of the poor, who stand most in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/the-supreme-court-and-the-court-of-appeal-will-take-care-of/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [When we lose the right to be different, we lose the privilege to be free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/when-we-lose-the-right-to-be-different-we-lose-the-privilege-to-be/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [The United States is the greatest law factory the world has ever known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/the-united-states-is-the-greatest-law-factory-the-world-has-ever-known/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [Men do not die from overwork. They die from dissipation and worry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/men-do-not-die-from-overwork-they-die-from-dissipation-and-worry/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [Each man begins with his own world to conquer, and his education is the measure of his conquest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/each-man-begins-with-his-own-world-to-conquer-and-his-education-is/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [Our institutions were not devised to bring about uniformity of opinion; if they had we might well abandon hope. It is important to remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/our-institutions-were-not-devised-to-bring-about-uniformity-of/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [I believe in work, hard work, and long hours of work. Men do not breakdown from overwork, but from worry and dissipation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/i-believe-in-work-hard-work-and-long-hours-of-work-men-do-not/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [While democracy must have its organizations and controls, its vital breath is individual liberty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/while-democracy-must-have-its-organizations-and-controls-its-vital/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [Selfishness and demagoguery take advantage of liberty. The selfish hand constantly seeks to control government, and every increase of governmental power, even to meet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/selfishness-and-demagoguery-take-advantage-of-liberty-the-selfish/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [But it is recognized that punishment for the abuse of the liberty accorded to the press is essential to the protection of the public,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/but-it-is-recognized-that-punishment-for-the-abuse-of-the-liberty/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [The Constitution is what the judges say it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/the-constitution-is-what-the-judges-say-it-is/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [Every young man should aim at independence and should prepare himself for a vocation; above all, he should so manage his life that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/every-young-man-should-aim-at-independence-and-should-prepare-himself/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [I think that it is a fallacy to suppose that helpful cooperation in the future will be assured by the attempted compulsion of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/i-think-that-it-is-a-fallacy-to-suppose-that-helpful-cooperation-in/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) > [The power to wage war is the power to wage war successfully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/the-power-to-wage-war-is-the-power-to-wage-war-successfully/) [Charles Evans Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) [Explore all 33 Charles Evans Hughes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/) ## More Assembly quotes > [We can see nothing whatever of the soul unless it is visible in the expression of the countenance; one might call the faces at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/we-can-see-nothing-whatever-of-the-soul-unless-it-is-visible-in-the/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [ Mac \[Barnett\] and I prank each other during our presentation. We show baby pictures of each other looking completely ridiculous. I can't believe the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jory-john/mac-barnett-and-i-prank-each-other-during-our-presentation-we-show/) [Jory John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jory-john/) > [She went from opera, park, assembly, play, To morning walks, and prayers three hours a day. To part her time 'twixt reading and bohea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/she-went-from-opera-park-assembly-play-to-morning-walks-and-prayers/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [We stand today at the threshold of a great event both in the life of the United Nations and in the life of mankind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/we-stand-today-at-the-threshold-of-a-great-event-both-in-the-life-of/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Club: An assembly of good fellows, meeting under certain conditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/club-an-assembly-of-good-fellows-meeting-under-certain-conditions/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Yet if anyone cares to read over the now crumbling minutes giving an account of the meetings at which the Italian Fasci di Combattimento…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benito-mussolini/yet-if-anyone-cares-to-read-over-the-now-crumbling-minutes-giving-an/) [Benito Mussolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benito-mussolini/) > [To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/to-that-world-assembly-of-sovereign-states-the-united-nations-our/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [“Liberalism is a creation of the seventeenth century, fathered by British philosopher John Locke (1632–1704). For Locke, liberalism means limited government, the rule of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-boghossian/liberalism-is-a-creation-of-the-seventeenth-century-fathered-by/) [Peter Boghossian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-boghossian/) > [Well I'm not dancing," Will said through gritted teeth. "I don't know how." Oh yes you are," Alyss told him. "Let's hope you're a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/well-i-m-not-dancing-will-said-through-gritted-teeth-i-don-t-know-how/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [For you deal here above all with human life, and human life is sacred; no one may dare make an attempt upon it. Respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-paul-vi/for-you-deal-here-above-all-with-human-life-and-human-life-is-sacred/) [Pope Paul VI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-paul-vi/) > [I was a star campaigner for the Aruvikkara byelection and the assembly elections. They were very valuable experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suresh-gopi/i-was-a-star-campaigner-for-the-aruvikkara-byelection-and-the/) [Suresh Gopi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suresh-gopi/) > [One cannot walk through an assembly factory and not feel that one is in Hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/one-cannot-walk-through-an-assembly-factory-and-not-feel-that-one-is/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [If you wait for a perfect church, you must wait until you get to heaven; and even if you could find a perfect assembly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/if-you-wait-for-a-perfect-church-you-must-wait-until-you-get-to/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [No harm will come to me. The Assembly is prepared to treat us leniently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-antoinette/no-harm-will-come-to-me-the-assembly-is-prepared-to-treat-us-leniently/) [Marie Antoinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-antoinette/) > [Every year, the United Nations General Assembly votes on a resolution entitled 'Peaceful resolution of the Palestine conflict.' Every year, the vote is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-finkelstein/every-year-the-united-nations-general-assembly-votes-on-a-resolution/) [Norman Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-finkelstein/) Browse all 409 Assembly quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The greater the importance to safeguarding the community from incitements to the overthrow of our institutions by force and violence, the more imperative is the need to preserve the constitutional rights of free speech, free press and free assembly in order to maintain the opportunity for free political discussion.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Evans Hughes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/the-greater-the-importance-to-safeguarding-the-community-from/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Assembly" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/the-greater-the-importance-to-safeguarding-the-community-from/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b5/charles-evans-hughes-19073_assembly_the-greater-the-importance-to-safeguardi_1698235.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b5/charles-evans-hughes-19073_assembly_the-greater-the-importance-to-safeguardi_1698235.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b5/charles-evans-hughes-19073_assembly_the-greater-the-importance-to-safeguardi_1698235.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The greater the importance to safeguarding the community from incitements to the overthrow of our…” — Charles Evans Hughes", "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": "Charles Evans Hughes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-evans-hughes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The greater the importance to safeguarding...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/the-greater-the-importance-to-safeguarding-the-community-from/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-evans-hughes/the-greater-the-importance-to-safeguarding-the-community-from/#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 } } ] } ```