William O. Douglas

“ But since freedom of speech is now the guideline, do state libel laws have any place at all in our constitutional system, at least when it comes to public issues? If freedom of speech is the guide, why is it restricted to speech addressed to the larger public matters and not applicable to speech at the lower levels of science, the humanities, the professions, agriculture, and the like? ”

“ That has been the minority view, the majority maintaining that there is no difference. If there is no difference and if I am right in assuming Congress could not constitutionally pass a libel law, then the question is whether a public issue, not a public official, is involved. ”

“ Those of us alive in the 1940's and 1950's witnessed the dreadful orderal of people in the public service being pummelled by those inside and outside government, with charges that were false, abusive, and damaging to the extreme. ”