Amendments Quote by Potter Stewart
“The First Amendment guarantees liberty of human expression in order to preserve in our Nation what Mr. Justice Holmes called a "free trade in ideas." To that end, the Constitution protects more than just a man's freedom to say or write or publish what he wants. It secures as well the liberty of each man to decide for himself what he will read and to what he will listen. The Constitution guarantees, in short, a society of free choice.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Supreme Court, 1964
The First Amendment protects not only free speech but also the freedom to choose what to read and hear, ensuring a marketplace of ideas.
In simple terms: It guarantees both expression and personal choice of information.
Key Takeaway
Guard both speech and choice.
Themes
freedom
speech
choice
democracy
Mood
analytical
serious
Type
legal
political
When to use this quote
- media consumption
- public policy
- education
- library services
Key Concepts
constitutional law
civil liberties
information access
Questions to Reflect On
- What limits should exist on information access?
- How does free choice shape public discourse?
A Different Perspective
Balancing regulation with free choice can be contentious.
![“For when everything is classified, then nothing is classified, and the system becomes one to be disregarded by the cynical or the careless, and to be manipulated by those intent on self-protection or self-promotion." [ New York Times Co. v. United States , 403 U.S. 713 (1971) (concurring)]” quote by Potter Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e80/potter-stewart-22133_freedom_for-when-everything-is-classified-then-n_1634570.jpg)
