Able Quote by William O. Douglas

The First Amendment makes confidence in the common sense of our people and in the maturity of their judgement the great postulate of our…

— William O. Douglas

Common sense often makes good law.

— William O. Douglas

Inanimate objects are sometimes parties to litigation. A ship has a legal personality, a fiction found useful for maritime purposes. The corporation sole -…

— William O. Douglas

Any test that turns on what is offensive to the community's standards is too loose, too capricious, too destructive of freedom of expression to…

— William O. Douglas

I've often thought that if planners were botanists, zoologists, geologists, and people who know about the earth, we would have much more wisdom in…

— William O. Douglas

I have the same confidence in the ability of our people to reject noxious literature as I have in their capacity to sort out…

— William O. Douglas

The liberties of none are safe unless the liberties of all are protected.

— William O. Douglas

A function of free speech under our system of government is to invite dispute. It may indeed best serve its high purpose when it…

— William O. Douglas

At the constitutional level where we work, 90 percent of any decision is emotional. The rational part of us supplies the reasons for supporting…

— William O. Douglas

To be whole and harmonious, man must also know the music of the beaches and the woods. He must find the thing of which…

— William O. Douglas

Sunlight is the best disinfectant.

— William O. Douglas

We deal with a right of privacy older than the Bill of Rights-older than our political parties, older than our school system.

— William O. Douglas