--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe that free and civilized…" description: "\"I believe that free and civilized societies do not hold prisoners incommunicado.\" — Tom McClintock" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/tom-mcclintock-46041_believe_i-believe-that-free-and-civilized-societ_2275118.png" --- # I believe that free and civilized societies do not hold… ![“I believe that free and civilized societies do not hold prisoners incommunicado.” quote by Tom McClintock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/tom-mcclintock-46041_believe_i-believe-that-free-and-civilized-societ_2275118.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/tom-mcclintock-46041_believe_i-believe-that-free-and-civilized-societ_2275118.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/tom-mcclintock-46041_believe_i-believe-that-free-and-civilized-societ_2275118.png) > “I believe that free and civilized societies do not hold prisoners incommunicado.” [Tom McClintock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-mcclintock/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Free societies must avoid secret detention, upholding transparency and human rights. **In simple terms:** Free societies shouldn't hold secret prisoners. Key Takeaway Demand open legal processes. Themes justice transparency human rights Mood concerned serious Type political ethical When to use this quote - Legal reform - government oversight - human rights advocacy Key Concepts Rule of law civil liberties Questions to Reflect On - What safeguards prevent abuse? - How to ensure security without secrecy? A Different Perspective Balancing security concerns with openness is complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civilized society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilized-society/) [Prisoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoner/) ## Related quotes > [Free and civilized societies do not hold prisoners incommunicado.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-mcclintock/free-and-civilized-societies-do-not-hold-prisoners-incommunicado/) [Tom McClintock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-mcclintock/) > [I think that the essence of a free and civilized society is that everything in it should be subject to criticism, that all forms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-muggeridge/i-think-that-the-essence-of-a-free-and-civilized-society-is-that/) [Malcolm Muggeridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-muggeridge/) > [Whatever may be their use in civilized societies, mirrors are essential to all violent and heroic action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/whatever-may-be-their-use-in-civilized-societies-mirrors-are/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [For most of history, war has been a more or less functional institution, providing benefits for those societies that were good at it, although…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwynne-dyer/for-most-of-history-war-has-been-a-more-or-less-functional/) [Gwynne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwynne-dyer/) > [The vigor of civilized societies is preserved by the widespread sense that high aims are worth-while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/the-vigor-of-civilized-societies-is-preserved-by-the-widespread-sense/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [Civilized people can talk about anything. For them no subject is taboo… In civilized societies there will be no intellectual bogeys at sight of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-bell/civilized-people-can-talk-about-anything-for-them-no-subject-is-taboo/) [Clive Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-bell/) > [In civilized societies, we spend our lifetimes trying to become what is socially acceptable. We're dark and we're light. We all have both sides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/in-civilized-societies-we-spend-our-lifetimes-trying-to-become-what/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [With savages, the weak in body or mind are soon eliminated. We civilized men, on the other hand, do our utmost to check the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/with-savages-the-weak-in-body-or-mind-are-soon-eliminated-we/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [I think, certainly in the more civilized societies, women's roles are growing in power all of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-quinn/i-think-certainly-in-the-more-civilized-societies-women-s-roles-are/) [Sally Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-quinn/) > [War is part of our history, but it is not in at all the same sense part of our prehistory. It is one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwynne-dyer/war-is-part-of-our-history-but-it-is-not-in-at-all-the-same-sense/) [Gwynne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwynne-dyer/) > [Marriage is treated by all civilized societies as a peculiar and favored contract. It is in its origin a contract of natural law .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-story/marriage-is-treated-by-all-civilized-societies-as-a-peculiar-and/) [Joseph Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-story/) > [Our government is based on the belief that a people can be both strong and free, that civilized men need no restraint but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/our-government-is-based-on-the-belief-that-a-people-can-be-both/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [There is nothing so good for the human soul as the discovery that there are ancient and flourishing civilized societies which have somehow managed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/there-is-nothing-so-good-for-the-human-soul-as-the-discovery-that/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [There is no kind of harassment that a man may not inflict on a woman with impunity in civilized societies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-diderot/there-is-no-kind-of-harassment-that-a-man-may-not-inflict-on-a-woman/) [Denis Diderot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-diderot/) > [“There is simply no proof that warfare in small-scale societies was a rarer or less serious undertaking than among civilized societies. In general, warfare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-h-keeley/there-is-simply-no-proof-that-warfare-in-small-scale-societies-was-a/) [Lawrence H. Keeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-h-keeley/) ## More by Tom McClintock > [Free and civilized societies do not hold prisoners incommunicado.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-mcclintock/free-and-civilized-societies-do-not-hold-prisoners-incommunicado/) [Tom McClintock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-mcclintock/) > [...experience should warn us that tough and unpopular decisions are only made under intense political pressure produced by urgent necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-mcclintock/experience-should-warn-us-that-tough-and-unpopular-decisions-are-only/) [Tom McClintock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-mcclintock/) > [If we repealed all the laws of the world marriage would still exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-mcclintock/if-we-repealed-all-the-laws-of-the-world-marriage-would-still-exist/) [Tom McClintock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-mcclintock/) > [I know there's a great deal that Arnold Schwarzenegger could teach me about making movies. There's a great deal I could teach him about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-mcclintock/i-know-there-s-a-great-deal-that-arnold-schwarzenegger-could-teach-me/) [Tom McClintock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-mcclintock/) > [The right is absolute ... government has no authority to forbid me from owning a firearm ... the debate is not about guns. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-mcclintock/the-right-is-absolute-government-has-no-authority-to-forbid-me-from/) [Tom McClintock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-mcclintock/) > [A financial panic is a very bad thing, but a government panic can do far greater damage in a far shorter time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-mcclintock/a-financial-panic-is-a-very-bad-thing-but-a-government-panic-can-do/) [Tom McClintock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-mcclintock/) > [Well first of all, for a criminal practice there has to be a gun. It’s pretty simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-mcclintock/well-first-of-all-for-a-criminal-practice-there-has-to-be-a-gun-it-s/) [Tom McClintock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-mcclintock/) [Explore all 8 Tom McClintock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-mcclintock/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I believe that free and civilized societies do not hold prisoners incommunicado.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom McClintock" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-mcclintock/i-believe-that-free-and-civilized-societies-do-not-hold-prisoners/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-mcclintock/i-believe-that-free-and-civilized-societies-do-not-hold-prisoners/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/tom-mcclintock-46041_believe_i-believe-that-free-and-civilized-societ_2275118.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/tom-mcclintock-46041_believe_i-believe-that-free-and-civilized-societ_2275118.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bec/tom-mcclintock-46041_believe_i-believe-that-free-and-civilized-societ_2275118.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I believe that free and civilized societies do not hold prisoners incommunicado.” — Tom McClintock", "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": "Tom McClintock", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-mcclintock/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I believe that free and civilized...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-mcclintock/i-believe-that-free-and-civilized-societies-do-not-hold-prisoners/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-mcclintock/i-believe-that-free-and-civilized-societies-do-not-hold-prisoners/#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 } } ] } ```