--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't cheer when political officials…" description: "\"You can't cheer when political officials punish the expression of views you dislike and then expect to be taken seriously when you wrap yourself in the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/glenn-greenwald-1215_banner_you-can-t-cheer-when-political-officials_818641.jpg" --- # You can't cheer when political officials punish the… ![“You can't cheer when political officials punish the expression of views you dislike and then expect to be taken seriously when you wrap yourself in the banner of free speech in order to protest state punishment of views you like and share.” quote by Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/glenn-greenwald-1215_banner_you-can-t-cheer-when-political-officials_818641.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/glenn-greenwald-1215_banner_you-can-t-cheer-when-political-officials_818641.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/glenn-greenwald-1215_banner_you-can-t-cheer-when-political-officials_818641.jpg) > “You can't cheer when political officials punish the expression of views you dislike and then expect to be taken seriously when you wrap yourself in the banner of free speech in order to protest state punishment of views you like and share.” [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. Defending free speech while demanding it only for agreeable views creates a hypocritical and undermines true liberty. **In simple terms:** Free speech must protect all views, not just liked ones. Key Takeaway Champion universal free expression, not selective. Themes politics free speech hypocrisy Mood defensive thought‑provoking Type political philosophical When to use this quote - activism - journalism - policy debate - online platforms Key Concepts civil liberties public discourse Questions to Reflect On - What does free speech mean to you? - How do you handle disagreeable opinions? A Different Perspective Selective tolerance can erode democratic foundations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Free speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-speech/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Protest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protest/) [Punishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punishment/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) ## Related quotes > [Freedom of speech is freedom above all for those whose views you dislike most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hitchens/freedom-of-speech-is-freedom-above-all-for-those-whose-views-you/) [Peter Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hitchens/) > [In the early 1980s, I burned my Social Security card at the New Orleans Investment Conference in protest of the state pension system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-skousen/in-the-early-1980s-i-burned-my-social-security-card-at-the-new/) [Mark Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-skousen/) > [If someone has something you want, they can wrap you - they can make you think that they've got something that you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-someone-has-something-you-want-they-can-wrap-you-they-can-make-you/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [What is your Unique Selling Proposition? What makes you different than your competitors? Wrap your advertising message around that USP and communicate it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-resnick/what-is-your-unique-selling-proposition-what-makes-you-different-than/) [Lynda Resnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-resnick/) > [Even to this day, when I think about the fact that I'm in this 'Star Wars' world, that I'm a half-brother to Darth Vader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-edgerton/even-to-this-day-when-i-think-about-the-fact-that-i-m-in-this-star/) [Joel Edgerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-edgerton/) > [I've always been inspired by women, and my mission was to inspire women. I always wanted to become a certain kind of woman, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-von-furstenberg/i-ve-always-been-inspired-by-women-and-my-mission-was-to-inspire/) [Diane von Furstenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-von-furstenberg/) > [I've played American characters so many times now, it's so natural to me. But when I play American, I stay in the American accent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregg-sulkin/i-ve-played-american-characters-so-many-times-now-it-s-so-natural-to/) [Gregg Sulkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregg-sulkin/) > [Sometimes I can tackle an issue -homelessness, tobacco litigation, insurance fraud, the death penalty - and wrap a good story around it. These are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grisham/sometimes-i-can-tackle-an-issue-homelessness-tobacco-litigation/) [John Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grisham/) > [I think one game we played the Oakland Raiders and Jack Tatum and I had an accident on the one-yard line. The only thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-campbell/i-think-one-game-we-played-the-oakland-raiders-and-jack-tatum-and-i/) [Earl Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-campbell/) > [I love playing Jim. I love working with this cast and the opportunity to come back and work with them again was just way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-biggs/i-love-playing-jim-i-love-working-with-this-cast-and-the-opportunity/) [Jason Biggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-biggs/) > [“Wrap your mind around my thoughts as I wrap my soul around your heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/munia-khan/wrap-your-mind-around-my-thoughts-as-i-wrap-my-soul-around-your-heart/) [Munia Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/munia-khan/) > [When a series is doing well, it's very tempting to keep writing it, even when the creative well is drying up. It's tempting because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/when-a-series-is-doing-well-it-s-very-tempting-to-keep-writing-it/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [We're actors at the end of the day. I don't take it home with me. My experience outside of work, I love... when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heath-ledger/we-re-actors-at-the-end-of-the-day-i-don-t-take-it-home-with-me-my/) [Heath Ledger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heath-ledger/) > [I'd love to drive a Lamborghini, but I think it's hard when the pedals are way down in there, and you sit real low,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-klebba/i-d-love-to-drive-a-lamborghini-but-i-think-it-s-hard-when-the-pedals/) Martin Klebba > [Don't be silly, wrap your willy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hommieg/don-t-be-silly-wrap-your-willy/) HommieG ## 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 Banner quotes > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The Son of God goes forth to war,A kingly crown to gain;His blood red banner streams afar:Who follows in His train?Who best can drink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reginald-heber/the-son-of-god-goes-forth-to-war-a-kingly-crown-to-gain-his-blood-red/) [Reginald Heber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reginald-heber/) > [ \[W\]ar is a question, under our constitution, not of Executive, but of Legislative cognizance. It belongs to Congress to say whether the Nation shall… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-hamilton/w-ar-is-a-question-under-our-constitution-not-of-executive-but-of/) [Alexander Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-hamilton/) > [Leo had recently discovered how to change the display, like the Times Square JumboTron,so now the banner read: Merry Christmas! All your presents belong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/leo-had-recently-discovered-how-to-change-the-display-like-the-times/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [No one imposes things on anyone in Europe. That's not my notion, nor is it my temperament. The EU has always functioned under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/no-one-imposes-things-on-anyone-in-europe-that-s-not-my-notion-nor-is/) [Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/) > [I play to lift a city, and raise a banner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-fielder/i-play-to-lift-a-city-and-raise-a-banner/) [Prince Fielder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-fielder/) > [They fell, but o'er their glorious grave Floats free the banner of the cause they died to save.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-marion-crawford/they-fell-but-o-er-their-glorious-grave-floats-free-the-banner-of-the/) [Francis Marion Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-marion-crawford/) > [If you look at the heritage of the best advertising, you can make stuff that is great for both readers and advertisers. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-peretti/if-you-look-at-the-heritage-of-the-best-advertising-you-can-make/) [Jonah Peretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-peretti/) > [A sudden gust of rain blew over them and then another - as if small liquid clouds were bouncing along the land. Lightning entered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/a-sudden-gust-of-rain-blew-over-them-and-then-another-as-if-small/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Gays, lesbians, straights, feminists, fascist pigs, communists, Hare Krishnas - none of them bother me. I don't care what banner they raise. But what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/gays-lesbians-straights-feminists-fascist-pigs-communists-hare/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [It is only in retrospect that the high points of our lives rise up, flaunting banners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-pratt/it-is-only-in-retrospect-that-the-high-points-of-our-lives-rise-up/) [Caroline Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-pratt/) > [Return to Shaoshan I regret the passing, the dying, of the vague dream: my native orchards thirty-two years ago. Yet red banners roused the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/return-to-shaoshan-i-regret-the-passing-the-dying-of-the-vague-dream/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [On the field of battle, the spoken word does not carry far enough; hence the institution of gongs and drums... banners and flags. Gongs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/on-the-field-of-battle-the-spoken-word-does-not-carry-far-enough/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [The Doxology ... that testimonial to the Platonic Trinity, which divided the Roman Empire into at least eighteen quarreling sects, none of whom knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-hurmence-green/the-doxology-that-testimonial-to-the-platonic-trinity-which-divided/) [Ruth Hurmence Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-hurmence-green/) Browse all 279 Banner quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't cheer when political officials punish the expression of views you dislike and then expect to be taken seriously when you wrap yourself in the banner of free speech in order to protest state punishment of views you like and share.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Glenn Greenwald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/you-can-t-cheer-when-political-officials-punish-the-expression-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Banner" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/you-can-t-cheer-when-political-officials-punish-the-expression-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/glenn-greenwald-1215_banner_you-can-t-cheer-when-political-officials_818641.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/glenn-greenwald-1215_banner_you-can-t-cheer-when-political-officials_818641.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d8/glenn-greenwald-1215_banner_you-can-t-cheer-when-political-officials_818641.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can't cheer when political officials punish the expression of views you dislike and then expect to be…” — 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": "You can't cheer when political officials...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/you-can-t-cheer-when-political-officials-punish-the-expression-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/you-can-t-cheer-when-political-officials-punish-the-expression-of/#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 } } ] } ```