Independence Day Quotes
Despite the name, this is not a page about the American Fourth of July. It is built from the freedom and patriotism pages, and the writers who turn up come from all over: the Puerto Rican poet Julia de Burgos, the Italian anarchist Bruno Filippi, Shakespeare, Anna Quindlen. De Burgos has a line about an invaded nation where today’s battlefield is independence.
A few entries are there because of a keyword, not a mood. Cervantes’s remark about not thrusting his nose into other men’s porridge (Don Quixote, 1605) is about minding your own business. If you want something for a speech, sort by source grade and skip the oddities.
Most quoted on independence day:
A society that will trade a little liberty for a little order will lose both, and deserve neither.
I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!
These heroes are dead. They died for liberty — they died for us.
There is no justification for taking away individuals' freedom in the guise of public safety.
Patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness toward anyone.