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RE: Quotable Free Speech

in EOS Discussions5 years ago (edited)

The following is 100% CopyLeft and can be used for this contest by anyone:

Protesting without dialogue (with the sole intent to silence opposition) is harassment, not free speech.

I'm not a fan of ad hominem attacks, but I'm even less of a fan of censorship and retaliation.

Ad hominem attacks and air-horning your opponent are the tactics of FASCISM (dismantles open dialogue and civil debate).

They came for the name-callers and I said nothing, because I'm not a name-caller.

They came for the Christians and I said nothing, because I'm not a Christian.

They came for the conspiracy theorists and I said nothing, because I'm not insane.

Then they came for the independently minded skeptics, and those types never stand up for anyone but themselves, so they were easy-pickins.

Sort:  

great quotes.

but the second one is a recasted version of this poem by Martin Niemöller.

“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out,
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out,
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out,
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me.”

Which is still great but giving the OP some credit might be good ;)

http://marcuse.faculty.history.ucsb.edu/niem.htm

Thanks for the acknowledgement.

I'm not sure you can copyright the format or style of a specific quote.

Also, I'm pretty certain I'm not pilfering cash from Martin Niemöller's pockets.

When I originally wrote this original variation on a theme, I did include wiki links, but after careful analysis, it appears my version is sufficiently distinct from its inspiration. Please feel free to redistribute with or without accreditation.