Libel Quotes

• Political truth is libel; religious truth, blasphemy.

  William Hazlitt

  Religious, Truth, Political

  William Hazlitt, William Ernest Henley (1904). “The Collected Works of William Hazlitt: Fugitive writings”

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• An injurious lie is an uncommendable thing; and so, also, and in the same degree, is an injurious truth a fact that is recognized by the law of libel .

  Mark Twain

  Lying, Law, Degrees

  Mark Twain (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Mark Twain (Illustrated)”, p.2657, Delphi Classics

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• Journalists who make mistakes get sued for libel; historians who make mistakes get to publish a revised edition.

  Bill Moyers

  Mistake, Journalism, Historian

  Bill Moyers (2008). “Moyers on Democracy”, p.109, Anchor

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• I am dumbfounded that there hasn't been a crackdown with the libel and slander laws on some of these would-be writers and reporters on the Internet.

  Walter Cronkite

  Law, Would Be, Internet

  "Walter Cronkite lays down his pen", www.today.com. August 17, 2004.

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• As any editor will tell you, startling newsroom revelations are generally met with queries about where the information came from and how the reporter got it. Seriously startling revelations are followed by the vetting of libel lawyers.

  Graydon Carter

  Editors, Information, Lawyer

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• The greater the truth the greater the libel.

  Edward Law, 1st Earl of Ellenborough

  Trust, Truth, Greater

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• Newspapermen learn to call a murderer "an alleged murderer" and the King of England "the alleged King of England" in order to avoid libel suits.

  Stephen Leacock

  Kings, Order, Suits

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• To call woman the weaker sex is a libel; it is man's injustice to woman. If by strength is meant brute strength, then, indeed, is woman less brute than man. If by strength is meant moral power, then woman is immeasurably man's superior.

  Mahatma Gandhi

  Inspirational, Sex, Men

  Mahatma Gandhi (2005). “All Men Are Brothers”, p.157, A&C Black

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• The problem is that in our country, they make it almost impossible for politicians to win anything. In England it's easier to win a libel suit.

  Rand Paul

  Country, Winning, Suits

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• To call woman the weaker sex is a libel; it is man's injustice to woman.

  Mahatma Gandhi

  Sex, Men, Injustice

  Mahatma Gandhi (1980). “All Men are Brothers: Autobiographical Reflections”, p.148, A&C Black

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• To call woman the weaker sex is a libel; it is man's injustice to woman. If by strength is meant brute strength, then, indeed, is woman less brute than man. If by strength is meant moral power, then woman is immeasurably man's superior. Has she not greater intuition, is she not more self-sacrificing, has she not greater powers of endurance, has she not greater courage? Without her, man could not be. If nonviolence is the law of our being, the future is with woman. Who can make a more effective appeal to the heart than woman?

  Mahatma Gandhi

  Spiritual, Sex, Heart

  Mahatma Gandhi (1930). “Young India”

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• Truth is generally the best vindication against slander

  Abraham Lincoln

  Truth, Honesty, Slander

  Gordon Leidner, Abraham Lincoln (2009). “Abraham Lincoln: Quotes, Quips, and Speeches”, p.37, Sourcebooks, Inc.

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• Too many of us look upon Americans as dollar chasers. This is a cruel libel, even if it is reiterated thoughtlessly by the Americans themselves.

  Albert Einstein

  Funny, Motivational, Inspiring

  "What Life Means to Einstein". Interview with George Sylvester Viereck, The Saturday Evening Post (p. 17), October 26, 1929.

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• All the libel lawyers will tell you there's no libel any more, that everyone's given up.

  Ian Hislop

  Feet, Lawyer, Given

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• Send forth the child and childish man together, and blush for the pride that libels our own old happy state, and gives its title to an ugly and distorted image.

  Charles Dickens

  Children, Pride, Men

  Charles Dickens (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Charles Dickens (Illustrated)”, p.2066, Delphi Classics

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• He that filches from me my good name robs me of that which enriches him and makes me poor indeed.

  William Shakespeare

  Names, Reputation, Poor

  'Othello' (1602-4) act 3, sc. 3, l. 155

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• Nor do they trust their tongue alone, but speak a language of their own; can read a nod, a shrug, a look, far better than a printed book; convey a libel in a frown, and wink a reputation down.

  Jonathan Swift

  Book, Looks, Scandal

  'The Journal of a Modern Lady' (1729) l. 188

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• This is not a book in the ordinary sense of the word. No, this is a prolonged insult, a gob of spit in the face of art, a kick in the pants to God, Man, Destiny, Time, Love, Beauty... what you will.

  Henry Miller

  Art, Book, Destiny

  Tropic of Cancer ch. 1 (1934)

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• The only rules comedy can tolerate are those of taste, and the only limitations those of libel.

  James Thurber

  Taste, Comedy, Dignity

  1961 Lanterns and Lances,'The Duchess and the Bugs'.

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• Feminism has tried to dismiss the femme fatale as a misogynist libel, a hoary cliche. But the femme fatale expresses woman's ancient and eternal control of the sexual realm. The specter of the femme fatale stalks all of men's relationships with women.

  Camille Paglia

  Men, Feminism, Ancient

  "Sex, Art and American Culture: New Essays". Book by Camille Paglia, 1992.

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• If non-violence is the Law of our being, the future is with Women.

  Mahatma Gandhi

  Equality, Law, Women Empowerment

  Mahatma Gandhi, K. Swaminathan (1988). “A Gandhi Reader”, Stosius Incorporated/Advent Books Division

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• It's a libel to say that I use my newspapers to support my other business interests. The fact is, I haven't got any other business interests.

  Rupert Murdoch

  Support, Use, Facts

  "Rupert Murdoch Has Potential". www.esquire.com. September 11, 2008.

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• When public men indulge themselves in abuse, when they deny others a fair trial, when they resort to innuendo and insinuation, to libel, scandal, and suspicion, then our democratic society is outraged, and democracy is baffled. It has no apparatus to deal with the boor, the liar, the lout, and the antidemocrat in general.

  J. William Fulbright

  Liars, Men, Indulge In

  J. William Fulbright's speech in the Senate on McCarthyism (February 2, 1954), as quoted in "Congressional Record", Volume 100 (p. 1105), 1954.

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• Wart hogs should sue for libel. It is a terrible name and they are fine fellows and devoted family men and it is rare to see one by himself; the little woman and the kiddies are usually close at hand.

  Ilka Chase

  Men, Hands, Names

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• If you call your opponent a politician, it's grounds for libel.

  Mark Russell

  Opponents, Politician, Ifs

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