America Freedom Quotes:

The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission.

- John F. Kennedy

topic: Inspirational, Memorial Day, Freedom, Memorial Day Poems, True Freedom

If ever a time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.

- Samuel Adams

topic: Country, Men, Liberty, American Voters, Civic Responsibility

America is best described by one word, freedom.

- Dwight D. Eisenhower

topic: America, Presidential, Presidents Day, America Freedom

We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.

- Abraham Lincoln

topic: Freedom, Men, People, Power And Control, Limited Government

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.

- Abraham Lincoln

topic: Wisdom, Religious, War, Faltering, American Voters

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

- Thomas Jefferson

source: Declaration of Independence (1776).

topic: Life, Change, Happiness, Social Equality, Inaugural Speech

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.

- Ronald Reagan

source: Ronald Reagan (1983). “A Time for Choosing: The Speeches of Ronald Reagan, 1961-1982”, Gateway Books

topic: Strength, Peace, Children, Independence And Freedom, Inspirational Freedom

Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

topic: Freedom, 4th Of July, Political, Independence And Freedom, Justice Denied

My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.

- John F. Kennedy

source: Inaugural Address, 20 Jan. 1961

topic: Inspirational, Inspiring, Country, Inaugural Speech, Independence Day Patriotic

Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!

- Patrick Henry

topic: Sweet, Freedom, Business, American Revolution, Individual Liberty

One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.

- Plato

topic: Politics, Ends, Penalties, Participating, Limiting Freedom

A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.

- Dwight D. Eisenhower

source: First Inaugural Address, delivered 20 January 1953

topic: Success, Witty, Atheist, Inspirational Military, Memorial Day Poems

Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.

- George Bernard Shaw

topic: Inspirational, Fear, Clever, Independence And Freedom, Man And Superman

If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.

- Ronald Reagan

source: Remarks at a Dallas Ecumenical Prayer Breakfast, delivered 23 August 1984 at Reunion Arena, Dallas, TX

topic: Inspirational, God, Country, Inspirational Patriotic, Inspiring Presidential

Experience should teach us to be most on our guard to protect liberty when the Government's purposes are beneficent. Men born to freedom are naturally alert to repel invasion of their liberty by evil-minded rulers. The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in the insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well meaning but without understanding.

- Louis D. Brandeis

source: Olmstead v. United States (dissenting opinion) (1928)

topic: Freedom, Men, Evil, Beneficence, Lurking

In the beginning of a change the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.

- Mark Twain

topic: Thank You, Memorial Day, Courage, Independence Day Patriotic, Inspirational Patriotic

Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.

- Thomas Paine

topic: Inspirational, Life, Motivational, Independence And Freedom, Independence Day Patriotic

It is not the function of government to keep the citizen from falling into error; it is the function of the citizen to keep the government from falling into error.

- Robert H. Jackson

source: American Communications Ass'n v. Douds (1950)

topic: Fall, Errors, Government, Justice Truth, Limited Government

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

- John F. Kennedy

source: Inaugural Address, 20 Jan. 1961

topic: Inspirational, Memorial Day, Freedom, Inaugural Speech, Independence And Freedom

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

- James Madison

source: Virginia. General Assembly. House of Delegates, J. W. Randolph, James Madison (1850). “The Virginia Report of 1799-1800: Touching the Alien and Sedition Laws; Together with the Virginia Resolutions of December 21, 1798, Including the Debate and Proceedings Thereon in the House of Delegates of Virginia and Other Documents Illustrative of the Report and Resolutions”, p.136

topic: Exercise, Secular Society, Law, Redress, Founding

Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom of Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretence, raised in the United States.

- Noah Webster

source: Noah Webster (1787). “An Examination Into the Leading Principles of the Federal Constitution Proposed by the Late Convention Held at Philadelphia: With Answers to the Principal Objections that Have Been Raised Against the System”, p.43

topic: Army, Europe, Law, Handguns, Pretense

For what avail the plough or sail, or land or life, if freedom fail?

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

topic: Freedom, Land, Failing, Independence And Freedom, Independence Day Patriotic

We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution is designed only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for any other.

- John Adams

topic: Religious, Revenge, Ambition, Strong Government, Moral Virtues

I often wonder whether we do not rest our hopes too much upon constitutions, upon law and upon courts. These are false hopes, believe me, these are false hopes. Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it; no constitution, no law, no court can even do much to help it. While it lies there it needs no constitution, no law, no courts to save it.

- Learned Hand

source: "The Spirit of Liberty" (speech), New York, N.Y., 21 May 1944

topic: Lying, Believe, Heart, False Hope, Limiting Freedom

Liberty is the only thing you cannot have unless you are willing to give it to others.

- William Allen White

topic: Giving, Liberty, Politics, Limited Government, America Freedom

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

- Desmond Tutu

topic: Memorial Day, Peace, Freedom, Soldiers At War, Individual Liberty

A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.

- Theodore Roosevelt

source: "Stepping Stone : The Complete Bible Narratives". Book by John Thomas Clark, 1941.

topic: Bible, Education, Christian, Inspirational Patriotic, Inspiring Presidential

The ideal tyranny is that which is ignorantly self-administered by its victims. The most perfect slaves are, therefore, those which blissfully and unawaredly enslave themselves.

- Donald James

topic: Self, Perfect, Liberty, Limited Freedom, Webs Of Lies

You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.

- William J. H. Boetcker

topic: Help The Poor, Disregarded, Thrift, Weakening, America Freedom

[We are] no longer a government by free opinion, no longer a government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a government by the opinion and the duress of small groups of dominant men.

- Woodrow Wilson

source: Woodrow Wilson (2012). “The New Freedom A Call For the Emancipation of the Generous Energies of a People”, p.136, tredition

topic: Men, Nwo, Free Opinion, Duress, State Government

And you cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they can and should do for themselves.

- William J. H. Boetcker

source: "Ten Cannots". Book by William J. H. Boetcker, 1916.

topic: Strength, Leadership, Peace, Thrift, America Freedom

Those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

- C. S. Lewis

topic: Approval, Ends, Torment, Busybodies, Limited Freedom

You can only be free if I am free.

- Clarence Darrow

topic: Freedom, Liberty, Libertarian, Limited Freedom, America Freedom

The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive.

- Thomas Jefferson

topic: War, Patriotic, Government, Resistance To Change, American Revolution

Liberty is always dangerous, but it is the safest thing we have.

- Harry Emerson Fosdick

topic: Freedom, 4th Of July, Patriotic, Independence And Freedom, Independence Day Patriotic

None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

topic: Wisdom, Freedom, Powerful, Belive, Limited Government

I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.

- Thomas Jefferson

topic: God, Country, War, Social Injustice, Justice And Injustice

If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, it expects what never was and never will be ... The People cannot be safe without information. When the press is free, and every man is able to read, all is safe.

- Thomas Jefferson

topic: Men, People, Ignorant, Informed Citizens, Justice Truth

Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation.... Notwithstanding the military establishments in the several kingdoms of Europe, which are carried as far as the public resources will bear, the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms.

- James Madison

topic: Military, Government, Europe, Disarming, Framers

Whenever legislators endeavor to take away and destroy the property of the people, or to reduce them to slavery under arbitrary power, they put themselves into a state of war with the people, who are thereupon absolved from any further obedience.

- John Locke

source: John Locke (1947). “Two Treatises of Government: With a Supplement, Patriarcha, by Robert Filmer”, p.233, Simon and Schuster

topic: Freedom, War, People, Limited Freedom, Legislators

My heart trembles when I reflect that God is just

- Thomas Jefferson

topic: God, Patriotic, Heart, Social Injustice, Justice And Injustice

That government is best which governs least.

- Henry David Thoreau

topic: Freedom, Government, Historical, Limiting Freedom, Limiting Government

Everything that is really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labor in freedom.

- Albert Einstein

topic: Motivational, Education, Freedom, Independence And Freedom, Individual Independence

Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem. ... Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them. Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops moving, subsidize it. ... The problem is not that people are taxed too little, the problem is that government spends too much.

- Ronald Reagan

topic: Moving, Government, Views, Income Tax, Strong Economy

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

- C. S. Lewis

source: "The Humanitarian Theory of Punishment". "God in the Dock". Book by C. S. Lewis, 1970.

topic: Wisdom, Freedom, Sleep, Busybodies, Moralizing

Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits.

- Thomas Jefferson

topic: Inspirational, Happiness, Freedom, Independence And Freedom, Independence Day

We will not be led like sheep to the slaughter.

- Abba Kovner

source: "Freedom fighters" by Andrew Pulver, www.theguardian.com. February 23, 2001.

topic: Sheep, Holocaust, Slaughter, Inspiring Presidential, Presidents Day

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal.

- Elizabeth Cady Stanton

topic: Inspiring, Women, Equality, Social Equality, Social Groups

Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.

- George W. Bush

source: 9/11 Address to the Nation, delivered 11 September, Oval Office, Washington, D.C.

topic: Inspirational, Life, America, Acts Of Terror, America Freedom