Don't join the book burners. Do not think you are going to conceal thoughts by concealing evidence that they ever existed.
Interpretation
Censorship does not erase ideas; it merely hides them from view.
This quote by Dwight D. Eisenhower emphasizes the futility of censorship and the importance of free thought. By warning against book burning, he highlights that attempting to suppress ideas only serves to acknowledge their existence and inherent power, making it crucial to confront, rather than ignore, differing viewpoints and thoughts.
In practice
In a speech about the importance of free expression in schools.
If a man's associates find him guilty of being phony, if they find that he lacks forthright integrity, he will fail. His teachings and actions must square with each other. The first great need, therefore, is integrity and high purpose.
The libraries of America are and must ever remain the home of free and inquiring minds. To them, our citizens-of all ages and races, of all creeds and persuasions-must be able to turn with clear confidence that there they can freely seek the whole truth, unvarnished by fashion and uncompromised by expediency.
You don't lead by hitting people over the head - that's assault, not leadership.
When pressure mounts and strain increases everyone begins to show the weaknesses in his makeup. It is up to the Commander to conceal his: above all to conceal doubt, fear, and distrust.
Some years ago I became president of Columbia University and learned within 24 hours to be ready to speak at the drop of a hat, and I learned something more, the trustees were expected to be ready to speak at the passing of the hat.
I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity.
Old people love to give good advice; it compensates them for their inability to set a bad example.
My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you. But for every real word spoken, for every attempt I had ever made to speak those truths for which I am still seeking, I had made contact with other women while we examined the words to fit a world in which we all believed, bridging our differences.
I want to be famous in the way a pulley is famous, or a buttonhole, not because it did anything spectacular, but because it never forgot what it could do.
Oh, Adamβs sons, how cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good!
Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which, in prosperous circumstances, would have lain dormant.
The guy says, "When you work where I work, by the time you get home, it's late. You've got to have a bite to eat, watch a little TV, relax and get to bed. You can't sit up half the night planning, planning, planning." And he's the same guy who is behind on his car payment!
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