--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Free speech rights means that government…" description: "\"Free speech rights means that government officials are barred from creating lists of approved and disapproved political ideas and then using the power ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5c/glenn-greenwald-1215_approved_free-speech-rights-means-that-government_1146816.jpg" --- # Free speech rights means that government officials are… ![“Free speech rights means that government officials are barred from creating lists of approved and disapproved political ideas and then using the power of the state to enforce those preferences.” quote by Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5c/glenn-greenwald-1215_approved_free-speech-rights-means-that-government_1146816.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5c/glenn-greenwald-1215_approved_free-speech-rights-means-that-government_1146816.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5c/glenn-greenwald-1215_approved_free-speech-rights-means-that-government_1146816.jpg) > “Free speech rights means that government officials are barred from creating lists of approved and disapproved political ideas and then using the power of the state to enforce those preferences.” [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Free speech means the state cannot dictate which political ideas are acceptable, preventing governmental control over thought. **In simple terms:** Government cannot ban or endorse political ideas. Key Takeaway Guard against state‑imposed ideological lists. Themes free speech government limits political expression Mood cautious assertive Type political legal When to use this quote - policy debate - legal analysis - activism Key Concepts libertarianism censorship civil liberties Questions to Reflect On - How can societies ensure true ideological freedom? - What safeguards protect against covert censorship? A Different Perspective Even without official lists, informal pressures can still suppress ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approved/) [Barred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barred/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Creating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating/) [Enforce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enforce/) [Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free/) [Free speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-speech/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government officials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-officials/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Lists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lists/) [Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means/) [Means Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/means-government-562958/) [Officials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/officials/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Preferences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preferences/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Rights Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights-means-303441/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Speech Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech-rights-1820364/) [State](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Those](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/those/) [Using](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/using/) ## Related quotes > [It's always easy to get people to condemn threats to free speech when the speech being threatened is speech that they like. It's much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-always-easy-to-get-people-to-condemn-threats-to-free-speech-when/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [For the first 200 years of our nation's history, corporations were never defined by the courts as persons with free speech rights under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bonifaz/for-the-first-200-years-of-our-nation-s-history-corporations-were/) [John Bonifaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bonifaz/) > [Protecting free speech is literally inclusion. Not protecting free speech rights is literally exclusion of certain viewpoints.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-katharine-ham/protecting-free-speech-is-literally-inclusion-not-protecting-free/) [Mary Katharine Ham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-katharine-ham/) > [Donald Trump and the First Amendment, it's not a beautiful match; it's not a match made in heaven. Between the free speech rights that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megyn-kelly/donald-trump-and-the-first-amendment-it-s-not-a-beautiful-match-it-s/) [Megyn Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megyn-kelly/) > [In terms of political contributions, the free speech rights of corporations I dont think deserve the same protections as the free speech rights of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-coons/in-terms-of-political-contributions-the-free-speech-rights-of-2/) [Chris Coons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-coons/) > [Both free speech rights and property rights belong legally to individuals, but their real function is social, to benefit vast numbers of people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/both-free-speech-rights-and-property-rights-belong-legally-to/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [However, they ignore the fact that the First Amendment is intended to protect only against government sanctions for exercising free speech rights, not private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-koch/however-they-ignore-the-fact-that-the-first-amendment-is-intended-to/) [Ed Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-koch/) > [In terms of political contributions, the free speech rights of corporations I don't think deserve the same protections as the free speech rights of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-coons/in-terms-of-political-contributions-the-free-speech-rights-of/) [Chris Coons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-coons/) > [Trump's election means that you have a US government that will no longer do one thing and say another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-davidson/trump-s-election-means-that-you-have-a-us-government-that-will-no/) [Lawrence Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-davidson/) > [What is Maximum Governance, Minimum Government? It means government has no business to be in business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/what-is-maximum-governance-minimum-government-it-means-government-has/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [The source of the government's authority is “the consent of the governed.” This means that the government is not the ruler, but the servant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-source-of-the-government-s-authority-is-the-consent-of-the/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [In the American political lexicon, 'change' always means more of the same: more government, more looting of Americans, more inflation, more police-state measures, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/in-the-american-political-lexicon-change-always-means-more-of-the/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Freedom means the U.S. government not being the main threat to countries around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrisse-cullors/freedom-means-the-u-s-government-not-being-the-main-threat-to/) [Patrisse Cullors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrisse-cullors/) > [Socialism means government dependency, rationed resources, and exorbitant taxation. It means the destruction of every incentive to achieve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/socialism-means-government-dependency-rationed-resources-and/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [Capitalism means free enterprise, sovereignty of the consumers in economic matters, and sovereignty of the voters in political matters. Socialism means full government control…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/capitalism-means-free-enterprise-sovereignty-of-the-consumers-in/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) ## More by Glenn Greenwald > [In essence, I see the value of journalism as resting in a twofold mission: informing the public of accurate and vital information, and its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/in-essence-i-see-the-value-of-journalism-as-resting-in-a-twofold/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“The evidence shows that assurances that surveillance is only targeted at those who “have done something wrong” should provide little comfort, since a state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-evidence-shows-that-assurances-that-surveillance-is-only-targeted/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“It's almost hard to imagine anything more undemocratic than the view that political officials should not debate American wars in public, but only express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-almost-hard-to-imagine-anything-more-undemocratic-than-the-view/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [It's hardly news that the Obama administration is intensely and, in many respects, unprecedentedly hostile toward the news-gathering process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/it-s-hardly-news-that-the-obama-administration-is-intensely-and-in/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [Only In America can a renowned and devoted terrorism supporter like Peter King be the arbiter of national security and treason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/only-in-america-can-a-renowned-and-devoted-terrorism-supporter-like/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Above even our physical well-being, a central value is keeping the state out of the private realm—our “persons, houses, papers, and effects,” as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/above-even-our-physical-well-being-a-central-value-is-keeping-the/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“That capability at any time could be turned around on the American people and no American would have any privacy left, such is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/that-capability-at-any-time-could-be-turned-around-on-the-american/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Converting the Internet into a system of surveillance thus guts it of its core potential. Worse, it turns the Internet into a tool of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/converting-the-internet-into-a-system-of-surveillance-thus-guts-it-of/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“the desire for privacy is shared by us all as an essential, not ancillary, part of what it means to be human. We all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/the-desire-for-privacy-is-shared-by-us-all-as-an-essential-not/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [I don't have a 'side'—I'm responsible for what I say and nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/i-don-t-have-a-side-i-m-responsible-for-what-i-say-and-nothing-else/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Encryption matters, and it is not just for spies and philanderers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/encryption-matters-and-it-is-not-just-for-spies-and-philanderers/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“Among other devices, the agency intercepts and tampers with routers and servers manufactured by Cisco to direct large amounts of Internet traffic back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/among-other-devices-the-agency-intercepts-and-tampers-with-routers/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“NSA has increasingly made use of a secret technology that enables it to enter and alter data in computers even if they are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/nsa-has-increasingly-made-use-of-a-secret-technology-that-enables-it/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [A key purpose of journalism is to provide an adversarial check on those who wield the greatest power by shining a light on what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/a-key-purpose-of-journalism-is-to-provide-an-adversarial-check-on/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [“We all instinctively understand that the private realm is where we can act, think, speak, write, experiment, and choose how to be, away from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/we-all-instinctively-understand-that-the-private-realm-is-where-we/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) [Explore all 270 Glenn Greenwald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) ## More Approved quotes > [In mid-May, the House of Representatives approved the full amount of money that the Veterans Administration said was needed for next year - plus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-hastings/in-mid-may-the-house-of-representatives-approved-the-full-amount-of/) [Doc Hastings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-hastings/) > [Foreign journalists have to have an approved interpreter assigned them, which they have to pay for, who also acts as guide. As an Iranian,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hooman-majd/foreign-journalists-have-to-have-an-approved-interpreter-assigned/) [Hooman Majd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hooman-majd/) > [Mental pleasures never cloy; unlike those of the body, they are increased by reputation, approved by reflection, and strengthened by enjoyment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/mental-pleasures-never-cloy-unlike-those-of-the-body-they-are/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [The White House approved an exemption in Obamacare coverage for Congress and members of their staff. Members complained that the Affordable Care Act will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/the-white-house-approved-an-exemption-in-obamacare-coverage-for/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [When I came to explain to them the 'Nelson Touch', it was like an electric shock. Some shed tears, all approved - 'It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatio-nelson/when-i-came-to-explain-to-them-the-nelson-touch-it-was-like-an/) [Horatio Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatio-nelson/) > [As much as the next person, I want to be approved of, but I'm not greedy for that stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-firth/as-much-as-the-next-person-i-want-to-be-approved-of-but-i-m-not/) [Colin Firth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-firth/) > [The SEC got more than 100 rules to write under Dodd-Frank, the lion's share of all the agencies. And we've moved, I think, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schapiro/the-sec-got-more-than-100-rules-to-write-under-dodd-frank-the-lion-s/) [Mary Schapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schapiro/) > [In my schoolboy days I had no aversion to slavery. I was not aware there was anything wrong about it. No-one arraigned it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/in-my-schoolboy-days-i-had-no-aversion-to-slavery-i-was-not-aware/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [When I first began examining the global-warming scare, I found nothing more puzzling than the way officially approved scientists kept on being shown to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-booker/when-i-first-began-examining-the-global-warming-scare-i-found-nothing/) [Christopher Booker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-booker/) > [There is nothing that can bring you closer to fearlessness about everything else in the world than being a parent - because everyday fears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/there-is-nothing-that-can-bring-you-closer-to-fearlessness-about/) [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) > [I should have known something was wrong with my first wife. When I brought her home to meet my parents, they approved of her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-should-have-known-something-was-wrong-with-my-first-wife-when-i/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [You wouldn't want to live a life in which you are loved or approved by all people on Earth or even within your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/you-wouldn-t-want-to-live-a-life-in-which-you-are-loved-or-approved/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [That which concerns everyone must also be discussed and approved by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-verhofstadt/that-which-concerns-everyone-must-also-be-discussed-and-approved-by/) [Guy Verhofstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-verhofstadt/) > [ You have not been mistaken in supposing my views and feeling to be in favor of the abolition of war. Of my dispos\[i\]tion to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/you-have-not-been-mistaken-in-supposing-my-views-and-feeling-to-be-in/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I think Martin Luther King would always keep track of collective insurgencies among poor and working people. He was concerned about the treatment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/i-think-martin-luther-king-would-always-keep-track-of-collective/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) [Browse all 251 Approved quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approved/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Free speech rights means that government officials are barred from creating lists of approved and disapproved political ideas and then using the power of the state to enforce those preferences.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Glenn Greenwald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/free-speech-rights-means-that-government-officials-are-barred-from/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Approved" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/free-speech-rights-means-that-government-officials-are-barred-from/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5c/glenn-greenwald-1215_approved_free-speech-rights-means-that-government_1146816.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5c/glenn-greenwald-1215_approved_free-speech-rights-means-that-government_1146816.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5c/glenn-greenwald-1215_approved_free-speech-rights-means-that-government_1146816.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Free speech rights means that government officials are barred from creating lists of approved and…” — Glenn Greenwald", "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": "Glenn Greenwald", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Free speech rights means that government...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/free-speech-rights-means-that-government-officials-are-barred-from/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/free-speech-rights-means-that-government-officials-are-barred-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 } } ] } ```