Westlake Mall is one of those gathering spots. Every city has one. Westlake Mall is where ‘Occupy Seattle’ camped out and where last Christmas’ fake tree, which didn’t work, was parked. It is also a place where people demonstrate and protest and just generally spout off, if they wish. It is not quite ‘Speaker’s Corner’ in Hyde Park, but it will do. Today’s deposit into the ‘Joy Jar’ is FREE SPEECH.
It is a paradox that every dictator has climbed to power on the ladder of free speech. Immediately on attaining power each dictator has suppressed all free speech except his own.
Herbert Hoover
To suppress free speech is a double wrong. It violates the rights of the hearer as well as those of the speaker.
Frederick Douglass
Free speech is not to be regulated like diseased cattle and impure butter. The audience that hissed yesterday may applaud today, even for the same performance.
William O. Douglas
The Framers of the Constitution knew that free speech is the friend of change and revolution. But they also knew that it is always the deadliest enemy of tyranny.
Hugo Black
Ignorant free speech often works against the speaker. That is one of several reasons why it must be given rein instead of suppressed.
Anna Quindlen
Free speech is the whole thing, the whole ball game. Free speech is life itself.
Salman Rushdie
drwilda 