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William J. Brennan Jr. on Freedom

1906–1997 United States

← All quotes by William J. Brennan Jr.

3 quotes

If there is a bedrock principle of the First Amendment, it is that the government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable.

We are required in this case to determine for the first time the extent to which the constitutional protections for speech and press limit a State's power to award damages in a libel action brought by a public official against critics of his official conduct.

Authoritative interpretations of the First Amendment guarantees have consistently refused to recognize an exception for any test of truth — whether administered by judges, juries, or administrative officials — and especially one that puts the burden of proving truth on the speaker.

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: William J. Brennan Jr. (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.