Criticism of government finds sanctuary in several portions of the 1st Amendment. It is part of the right of free speech. It embraces freedom of the press
Hugo BlackRead
I cannot agree with those who think of the Bill of Rights as an 18th century straitjacket, unsuited for this age...The evils it guards against are not only old, they are with us now, they exist today.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The Bill of Rights remains relevant and essential for protecting freedoms in today's society.
Hugo Black emphasizes that the Bill of Rights, often seen as outdated, is in fact critical for addressing ongoing threats to liberties. He argues that the issues it addresses are not confined to the past but continue to be present in contemporary society, highlighting the need for these fundamental rights to be upheld.
Themes
Bill Of RightsFreedomRelevanceLibertiesProtection
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech advocating for civil liberties, one might quote Hugo Black to reinforce the importance of the Bill of Rights in modern governance.
More from Hugo Black
All quotes →Loyalty must arise spontaneously from the hearts of people who love their country and respect their government.
Hugo BlackRead
Paramount among the responsibilities of a free press is the duty to prevent any part of the government from deceiving the people and sending them off to distant lands to die of foreign fevers and foreign shot and shell.
Hugo BlackRead
The public welfare demands that constitutional cases must be decided according to the terms of the Constitution itself, and not according to judges views of fairness, reasonableness, or justice. I have no fear of constitutional amendments properly adopted, but I do fear the rewriting of the Constitution by judges under the guise of interpretation.
Hugo BlackRead
The Press was protected so that it could bare the secrets of the government and inform the people. Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in government. And paramount among the responsibilities of a free press is the duty to prevent any part of the government from deceiving the people.
Hugo BlackRead
It is my belief that there are "absolutes" in our Bill of Rights, and that they were put there on purpose by men who knew what words meant and meant their prohibitions to be "absolutes."
Hugo BlackRead
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