The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is that it is robbing the human race； posterity as well as the existing generation； those who dissent from the opinion， still more than those who hold it.
War is an ugly thing， but not the ugliest of things: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth a war， is much worse.
The only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good in our way， so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs or impede their efforts to obtain it.
