Every American holds dear the freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment. But it has special meaning for me. As the son of a Vermont printer, a publisher of a weekly newspaper, I grew up in a family which venerated freedom of speech.
Freedom of expression is the First Amendment to the Constitution for a very profound reason.
If we are not free to express our thoughts, the inalienable right to govern ourselves is meaningless. The First Amendment reflects our Founders confidence in a government by and of the people, a government that welcomes rather than fears dissenting or offensive views. The free flow of information is the lifeblood of our democracy. That is why I have fought so hard during my years in the Senate to defend and expand the statutory right of Americans under the Freedom of Information Act to obtain information from our government. It allows the exchange of ideas, pictures, and information faster and in more abundance than anything before.