The Quotes canon

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Politics8 quotes
Politics makes strange bedfellows. — Charles Dudley Warner · 1870I know no method to secure the repeal of bad or obnoxious laws so effective as their stringent execution. — Ulysses S. Grant · 1869The artist must take sides. — Paul Robeson · 1937We hold that obscenity is not within the area of constitutionally protected speech or press. — William J. Brennan, Jr. · 1957There is an invisible hand in politics that operates in the opposite direction to the invisible hand in the market. In politics, individuals who seek to promote only the public good are led by an invisible hand to promote special interests that it was no part of their intention to promote. — Milton Friedman · 1983The best way to get inside city hall is to make noise on the street. — Bhairavi Desai · 2011All 8 quotes →
Whether, to the average person, applying contemporary community standards, the dominant theme of the material, taken as a whole, appeals to prurient interest. — William J. Brennan, Jr. · 1957All ideas having even the slightest redeeming social importance—unorthodox ideas, controversial ideas, even ideas hateful to the prevailing climate of opinion—have the full protection of the guaranties... But implicit in the history of the First Amendment is the rejection of obscenity as utterly without redeeming social importance... We hold that obscenity is not within the area of constitutionally protected speech or press. — William J. Brennan, Jr. · 1957We hold that obscenity is not within the area of constitutionally protected speech or press. — William J. Brennan, Jr. · 1957The constitutional guarantees require, we think, a federal rule that prohibits a public official from recovering damages for a defamatory falsehood relating to his official conduct unless he proves that the statement was made with "actual malice"—that is, with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not. — William J. Brennan, Jr. · 1964The chilling effect upon the exercise of First Amendment rights may derive from the fact of the prosecution, unaffected by the prospects of its success or failure. — William J. Brennan, Jr. · 1965And, precisely because it is our flag that is involved, one's response to the flag-burner may exploit the uniquely persuasive power of the flag itself. We can imagine no more appropriate response to burning a flag than waving one's own, no better way to counter a flag burner's message than by saluting the flag that burns, no surer means of preserving the dignity even of the flag that burned than by—as one witness here did—according its remains a respectful burial. We do not consecrate the flag by punishing its desecration, for in doing so we dilute the freedom that this cherished emblem represents. — William J. Brennan, Jr. · 1989All 7 quotes →
Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party? — J. Parnell Thomas · 1947Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee. — Bridget Anne Kelly · 2013America, I've given you all and now I'm nothing. — Allen Ginsberg · 1956The war is over-the rebels are our countrymen again. — Ulysses S. Grant · 1865Sean Spicer, our press secretary, gave alternative facts. — Kellyanne Conway · 2017Whether ours shall continue to be a Government of laws and not of men is now for Congress and ultimately the American people. — Archibald Cox · 1973
Whether, to the average person, applying contemporary community standards, the dominant theme of the material, taken as a whole, appeals to prurient interest. — William J. Brennan, Jr. · 1957All ideas having even the slightest redeeming social importance—unorthodox ideas, controversial ideas, even ideas hateful to the prevailing climate of opinion—have the full protection of the guaranties... But implicit in the history of the First Amendment is the rejection of obscenity as utterly without redeeming social importance... We hold that obscenity is not within the area of constitutionally protected speech or press. — William J. Brennan, Jr. · 1957We hold that obscenity is not within the area of constitutionally protected speech or press. — William J. Brennan, Jr. · 1957The constitutional guarantees require, we think, a federal rule that prohibits a public official from recovering damages for a defamatory falsehood relating to his official conduct unless he proves that the statement was made with "actual malice"—that is, with knowledge that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was false or not. — William J. Brennan, Jr. · 1964The chilling effect upon the exercise of First Amendment rights may derive from the fact of the prosecution, unaffected by the prospects of its success or failure. — William J. Brennan, Jr. · 1965Debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust, and wide-open, and that it may well include vehement, caustic, and sometimes unpleasantly sharp attacks on government and public officials. — William J. Brennan, Jr. · 1964
The greatest good to the greatest number is the object to be attained. — Ulysses S. Grant · 1869I know no method to secure the repeal of bad or obnoxious laws so effective as their stringent execution. — Ulysses S. Grant · 1869History suggests only that capitalism is a necessary condition for political freedom. Clearly it is not a sufficient condition. — Milton Friedman · 1962There is an invisible hand in politics that operates in the opposite direction to the invisible hand in the market. In politics, individuals who seek to promote only the public good are led by an invisible hand to promote special interests that it was no part of their intention to promote. — Milton Friedman · 1983Freedom in economic arrangements is itself a component of freedom broadly understood, so economic freedom is an end in itself...economic freedom is also an indispensable means toward the achievement of political freedom. — Milton Friedman · 1962Very few people spend other people's money as carefully as they spend their own. — Milton Friedman · 1975
Art3 quotes
The artist must take sides. — Paul Robeson · 1937Everybody I have ever known or read about who was really a great artist has worked until they dropped dead. — Arnold Newman · 2009I don't think you can really put a monetary value on a painting. — Jacob Lawrence · 1968
Cold War3 quotes
Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party? — J. Parnell Thomas · 1947We are in the midst of a cold war which is getting warmer. — Bernard Baruch · 1947Let us not be deceived-we are today in the midst of a cold war. Our enemies are to be found abroad and at home. Let us not forget this: our unrest is the heart of their success. — Bernard Baruch · 1947
Creativity3 quotes
Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree. — Joyce Kilmer · 1913Creative ideas do not spring from groups. They spring from individuals. — Alfred Whitney Griswold · 1957I have had a good many more uplifting thoughts, creative and expansive visions-while soaking in comfortable baths or drying myself after bracing showers-in well-equipped American bathrooms than I have ever had in any cathedral. — Edmund Wilson · 1956
Freedom3 quotes
History suggests only that capitalism is a necessary condition for political freedom. Clearly it is not a sufficient condition. — Milton Friedman · 1962A man is either free or he is not. There cannot be any apprenticeship for freedom. — Amiri Baraka · 1962Freedom in economic arrangements is itself a component of freedom broadly understood, so economic freedom is an end in itself...economic freedom is also an indispensable means toward the achievement of political freedom. — Milton Friedman · 1962
Obscenity3 quotes
Whether, to the average person, applying contemporary community standards, the dominant theme of the material, taken as a whole, appeals to prurient interest. — William J. Brennan, Jr. · 1957All ideas having even the slightest redeeming social importance—unorthodox ideas, controversial ideas, even ideas hateful to the prevailing climate of opinion—have the full protection of the guaranties... But implicit in the history of the First Amendment is the rejection of obscenity as utterly without redeeming social importance... We hold that obscenity is not within the area of constitutionally protected speech or press. — William J. Brennan, Jr. · 1957We hold that obscenity is not within the area of constitutionally protected speech or press. — William J. Brennan, Jr. · 1957
Adolescence2 quotes
Are you there God? It's me, Margaret. I just told my mother I want a bra. Please help me grow God. You know where. — Judy Blume · 1970Remember that as a teenager you are at the last stage in your life when you will be happy to hear that the phone is for you. — Fran Lebowitz · 1981
America2 quotes
America, I've given you all and now I'm nothing. — Allen Ginsberg · 1956Neon looks good in Nevada. — John McPhee · 1981
The war is over-the rebels are our countrymen again. — Ulysses S. Grant · 1865No terms except an unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted. I propose to move immediately upon your works. — Ulysses S. Grant · 1862
America, I've given you all and now I'm nothing. — Allen Ginsberg · 1956What peaches and what penumbras! Whole families shopping at night! Aisles full of husbands! Wives in the avocados, babies in the tomatoes!-and you, Garcia Lorca what were you doing down by the watermelons? — Allen Ginsberg · 1956
Books2 quotes
People say that life is the thing, but I prefer reading. — Logan Pearsall Smith · 1931There is nothing in our material world more beautiful than the book. — Patti Smith · 2010
God and man2 quotes
I believe that our Great Maker is preparing the world, in His own good time, to become one nation, speaking one language, and when armies and navies will be no longer required. — Ulysses S. Grant · 1873Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree. — Joyce Kilmer · 1913
Hard work2 quotes
Luck, if you will, is something you work for, and the harder you work the more luck you have. — Esther Eberstadt Brooke · 1940Everybody I have ever known or read about who was really a great artist has worked until they dropped dead. — Arnold Newman · 2009
By the time you say you're his, Shivering and sighing And he vows his passion is Infinite, undying- Lady, make a note of this: One of you is lying. — Dorothy Parker · 1937Women do not believe that men believe what pornography says about women. But they do. From the worst to the best of them, they do. — Andrea Dworkin · 1981
A man is either free or he is not. There cannot be any apprenticeship for freedom. — Amiri Baraka · 1962Freedom in economic arrangements is itself a component of freedom broadly understood, so economic freedom is an end in itself...economic freedom is also an indispensable means toward the achievement of political freedom. — Milton Friedman · 1962
I asked a Burmese why women, after centuries of following their men, now walk ahead. He said there were many unexploded land mines since the war. — Robert Mueller · 1957Our Nation has had a long and unfortunate history of sex discrimination...rationalized by an attitude of "romantic paternalism" which, in practical effect, put women not on a pedestal, but in a cage. — William J. Brennan, Jr. · 1973
The best way to get inside city hall is to make noise on the street. — Bhairavi Desai · 2011It is my firm conviction that the civilized world is tending toward republicanism, or government by the people through their chosen representatives, and that our own great Republic is destined to be the guiding star to all others. — Ulysses S. Grant · 1873
Red Scare2 quotes
Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party? — J. Parnell Thomas · 1947You are the un-Americans and you ought to be ashamed of yourselves. — Paul Robeson · 1956
By the time you say you're his, Shivering and sighing And he vows his passion is Infinite, undying- Lady, make a note of this: One of you is lying. — Dorothy Parker · 1937Make sure to allow people to take care of you. — Mickalene Thomas · 2014
Sports2 quotes
You play to win the game. — Herm Edwards · 2002You spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time. — Jim Bouton · 1970
War2 quotes
What if someone gave a war & Nobody came? Life would ring the bells of Ecstasy and Forever be Itself again. — Allen Ginsberg · 1973The wars fought by human beings are stimulated as a rule primarily by the same instincts as the voracity of the sea slug. — Edmund Wilson · 1962
Winning2 quotes
You play to win the game. — Herm Edwards · 2002Nobody cares about the bronze or silver medals. — Buzz Aldrin · 2010
Activism1 quote
The best way to get inside city hall is to make noise on the street. — Bhairavi Desai · 2011
We headed home holding hands. For a moment I dropped back to watch him walk. His sailor's gait always touched me. I knew one day I would stop and he would keep on going, but until then nothing could tear us apart. — Patti Smith · 2010
Adventure1 quote
We gotta get out while we're young 'Cause tramps like us, baby, we were born to run. — Bruce Springsteen · 1975
Aging1 quote
There is more felicity on the far side of baldness than young men can possibly imagine. — Logan Pearsall Smith · 1933