--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must protect the right of our…" description: "\"We must protect the right of our opponents to speak because we must hear what they have to say.\" — Walter Lippmann" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38c/walter-lippmann-1083_civil-rights_we-must-protect-the-right-of-our-opponen_1872145.jpg" --- # We must protect the right of our opponents to speak… ![“We must protect the right of our opponents to speak because we must hear what they have to say.” quote by Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38c/walter-lippmann-1083_civil-rights_we-must-protect-the-right-of-our-opponen_1872145.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38c/walter-lippmann-1083_civil-rights_we-must-protect-the-right-of-our-opponen_1872145.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38c/walter-lippmann-1083_civil-rights_we-must-protect-the-right-of-our-opponen_1872145.jpg) > “We must protect the right of our opponents to speak because we must hear what they have to say.” [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) ## 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 protects society by exposing diverse ideas, even those we disagree with. **In simple terms:** Free speech lets us hear all views. Key Takeaway Defend opponents’ speech rights. Themes democracy free speech dialogue Mood cautious thoughtful Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - journalism - public debate - legal protections Key Concepts pluralism critical listening Questions to Reflect On - When should speech be limited? - How to balance respect and critique? A Different Perspective Absolute freedom can enable harmful rhetoric. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civil rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) ## Related quotes > [If I can put the right guy with the right mouthpiece in front of the right opponents, we can build a champion, but he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-alvarez/if-i-can-put-the-right-guy-with-the-right-mouthpiece-in-front-of-the/) [Eddie Alvarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-alvarez/) > [If we do not step forward, then we step back. If we do not protect a right, then we deny it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-martin/if-we-do-not-step-forward-then-we-step-back-if-we-do-not-protect-a/) [Paul Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-martin/) > [The Second Amendment does protect the right to people to possess weapons for self-defense in the home. That's what the Supreme Court said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-tribe/the-second-amendment-does-protect-the-right-to-people-to-possess/) [Laurence Tribe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-tribe/) > [It is a right to have a firearm to protect yourself. But it is not your right to be irresponsible. At the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-martin/it-is-a-right-to-have-a-firearm-to-protect-yourself-but-it-is-not/) [Tracy Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-martin/) > [“You hear me speak. But do you hear me feel?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrud-kolmar/you-hear-me-speak-but-do-you-hear-me-feel/) [Gertrud Kolmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrud-kolmar/) > [“Think about the last time you got hurt. You were probably trying to protect something right before it happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-cardone/think-about-the-last-time-you-got-hurt-you-were-probably-trying-to/) [Grant Cardone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-cardone/) > [At the end of the day, we have to protect the right of the citizens to protect themselves and that's the Second Amendment, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-johnson/at-the-end-of-the-day-we-have-to-protect-the-right-of-the-citizens-to/) [Mike Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-johnson/) > [You can't hear God speak to someone else, you can hear him only when you are being addressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-wittgenstein/you-can-t-hear-god-speak-to-someone-else-you-can-hear-him-only-when/) [Ludwig Wittgenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-wittgenstein/) > [There's no way I'm not gonna have a gun, 'cause you just never know what'll go down in Atlanta. But I'd rather be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-yachty/there-s-no-way-i-m-not-gonna-have-a-gun-cause-you-just-never-know/) [Lil Yachty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-yachty/) > [It takes two to speak the truth: one to speak, and another to hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-takes-two-to-speak-the-truth-one-to-speak-and-another-to-hear/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The less you speak, the more you will hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/the-less-you-speak-the-more-you-will-hear/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [Your guns protect you the right way but by taking someones life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/your-guns-protect-you-the-right-way-but-by-taking-someones-life/) Mak\_786 > [Only the heart can speak or hear that which is authentic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/only-the-heart-can-speak-or-hear-that-which-is-authentic/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [“All women have a right to give birth. We have to protect that right as much as we can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/all-women-have-a-right-to-give-birth-we-have-to-protect-that-right-as/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [We need laws against rape and such violence; but at the same time, if women are misusing the law, we need to think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pooja-bedi/we-need-laws-against-rape-and-such-violence-but-at-the-same-time-if/) [Pooja Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pooja-bedi/) ## More by Walter Lippmann > [The emancipated woman has to fight something worse than the crusted prejudices of her uncles; she has to fight the bewilderment in her own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/the-emancipated-woman-has-to-fight-something-worse-than-the-crusted/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [Even God has been defended with nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/even-god-has-been-defended-with-nonsense/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [A better distribution of incomes would increase that efficiency by diverting a great fund of wealth from the useless to the useful members of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/a-better-distribution-of-incomes-would-increase-that-efficiency-by/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [There is but one bond of peace that is both permanent and enriching: The increasing knowledge of the world in which experiment occurs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/there-is-but-one-bond-of-peace-that-is-both-permanent-and-enriching/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [Where there is no danger of overt action there is rarely any interference with freedom. That is why there has so often been amazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/where-there-is-no-danger-of-overt-action-there-is-rarely-any/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/the-final-test-of-a-leader-is-that-he-leaves-behind-him-in-other-men/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [The simple opposition between the people and big business has disappeared because the people themselves have become so deeply involved in big business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/the-simple-opposition-between-the-people-and-big-business-has/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [A free press is not a privilege but an organic necessity in a great society. ... A great society is simply a big and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/a-free-press-is-not-a-privilege-but-an-organic-necessity-in-a-great/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [“Since position and contact play so big a part in determining what can be seen, heard, read, and experienced, as well as what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/since-position-and-contact-play-so-big-a-part-in-determining-what-can/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [An alliance is like a chain. It is not made stronger by adding weak links to it. A great power like the United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/an-alliance-is-like-a-chain-it-is-not-made-stronger-by-adding-weak/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [The chief element in the art of statesmanship under modern conditions is the ability to elucidate the confused and clamorous interests which converge upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/the-chief-element-in-the-art-of-statesmanship-under-modern-conditions/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [At the core of every moral code there is a picture of human nature, a map of the universe, and a version of history.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/at-the-core-of-every-moral-code-there-is-a-picture-of-human-nature-a/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [The tendency of the casual mind is to pick out or stumble upon a sample which supports or defies its prejudices, and then to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/the-tendency-of-the-casual-mind-is-to-pick-out-or-stumble-upon-a/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [There is only one purpose to which a whole society can be directed by a deliberate plan. That purpose is war, and there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/there-is-only-one-purpose-to-which-a-whole-society-can-be-directed-by/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) > [In a democracy, the opposition is not only tolerated as constitutional, but must be maintained because it is indispensable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/in-a-democracy-the-opposition-is-not-only-tolerated-as-constitutional/) [Walter Lippmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) [Explore all 296 Walter Lippmann quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/) ## More Civil rights quotes > [Every one knows that the exercise of military power is forever dangerous to civil rights; and we have had recent instances of violences that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/every-one-knows-that-the-exercise-of-military-power-is-forever/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [I am for freedom of religion, and against all maneuvers to bring about a legal ascendency of one sect over another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/i-am-for-freedom-of-religion-and-against-all-maneuvers-to-bring-about/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I speak not for myself, but so those without a voice can be heard. Those who have fought for their rights. Their right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malala-yousafzai/i-speak-not-for-myself-but-so-those-without-a-voice-can-be-heard/) [Malala Yousafzai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malala-yousafzai/) > [The Patriot Act is certainly a concern; all of those things are dangerous. I think more important than me preaching is that we as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clooney/the-patriot-act-is-certainly-a-concern-all-of-those-things-are/) [George Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clooney/) > [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Why do we apologize for advocating for ourselves? Why do we apologize for taking up space that we are entitled to? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-tambascio/why-do-we-apologize-for-advocating-for-ourselves-why-do-we-apologize/) Elizabeth Tambascio > [We are a nation of innovators and problem-solvers who sparked revolutions in democratic government, civil rights, communications, flight, rural electrification and technology. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-a-mcchrystal/we-are-a-nation-of-innovators-and-problem-solvers-who-sparked/) [Stanley A. McChrystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-a-mcchrystal/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Civil rights leaders are involved in helping poor people. That's what I've been doing all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/civil-rights-leaders-are-involved-in-helping-poor-people-that-s-what/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [I grew up in the early '60s, and there was a lot of civil rights, a lot of unrest in our country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herm-edwards/i-grew-up-in-the-early-60s-and-there-was-a-lot-of-civil-rights-a-lot/) [Herm Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herm-edwards/) > [The great paradox of the civil rights revolution is that instead of enforcing and expanding equality before the law, the revolution created differential rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/the-great-paradox-of-the-civil-rights-revolution-is-that-instead-of/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) > [The world - and America - has been defined by people who haven't necessarily abided by the laws and the rules. Civil disobedience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-kennedy/the-world-and-america-has-been-defined-by-people-who-haven-t/) [Rory Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-kennedy/) > [I do not believe that defending traditional marriage between one man and one woman excludes anybody or usurps anybody's civil rights and denies anybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-autry/i-do-not-believe-that-defending-traditional-marriage-between-one-man/) [Alan Autry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-autry/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [The notion of women being written out of history is as old as the Bible, but it always seems more galling when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-thornberry/the-notion-of-women-being-written-out-of-history-is-as-old-as-the/) [Emily Thornberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-thornberry/) [Browse all 1,552 Civil rights quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We must protect the right of our opponents to speak because we must hear what they have to say.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Walter Lippmann" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/we-must-protect-the-right-of-our-opponents-to-speak-because-we-must/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Civil rights" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/we-must-protect-the-right-of-our-opponents-to-speak-because-we-must/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38c/walter-lippmann-1083_civil-rights_we-must-protect-the-right-of-our-opponen_1872145.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38c/walter-lippmann-1083_civil-rights_we-must-protect-the-right-of-our-opponen_1872145.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38c/walter-lippmann-1083_civil-rights_we-must-protect-the-right-of-our-opponen_1872145.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We must protect the right of our opponents to speak because we must hear what they have to say.” — Walter Lippmann", "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": "Walter Lippmann", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-lippmann/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We must protect the right of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/we-must-protect-the-right-of-our-opponents-to-speak-because-we-must/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-lippmann/we-must-protect-the-right-of-our-opponents-to-speak-because-we-must/#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 } } ] } ```