The critical point is that the Constitution places the right of silence beyond the reach of government.
William O. DouglasRead
Big Brother in the form of an increasingly powerful government and in an increasingly powerful private sector will pile the records high with reasons why privacy should give way to national security, to law and order, to efficiency of operation, to scientific advancement and the like.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote warns against the erosion of privacy due to government and corporate interests under the guise of security and progress.
William O. Douglas's quote reflects a deep concern over the balance between individual privacy and the overreach of government and corporate power. He suggests that the justification for invading personal privacy often comes wrapped in pleasant narratives of national security, law enforcement, operational efficiency, and scientific progress, leading to a gradual accumulation of reasons to prioritize collective control over individual rights. This perspective urges a critical examination of how freedoms can be compromised under the guise of safety and advancement.
Themes
PrivacyGovernmentSecurityFreedomControl
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about privacy laws, someone could use this quote to highlight the risks of sacrificing personal freedoms for perceived safety.
More from William O. Douglas
All quotes →One who comes to the Court must come to adore, not to protest. That's the new gloss on the First Amendment.
William O. DouglasRead
The great and invigorating influences in American life have been the unorthodox: the people who challenge an existing institution or way of life, or say and do things that make people think.
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I have the same confidence in the ability of our people to reject noxious literature as I have in their capacity to sort out the true from the false in theology, economics, or any other field.
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Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us.
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The truth is that a vast restructuring of our society is needed if remedies are to become available to the average person. Without that restructuring the good will that holds society together will be slowly dissipated... It is that sense of futility which permeates the present series of protests and dissents. Where there is a persistent sense of futility, there is violence; and that is where we are today.
William O. DouglasRead
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