Quotation about First Amendment - source?

[Eric J in MN]

Who said a quote like:

The First Amendment is not to protect the speech we agree with, but the speech we despise the most.
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I've tried numerous google-searches unsuccessfully.

[Liberal Christian]

1. Here's a Noam Chomsky quote

It's almost what you want:

"If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all." -- Noam Chomsky

http://free.freespeech.org/unlimitedfreedom/

[sweetheart]

2. perhaps voltaire?

I think the precise quote is more like "i may not agree with what you say, but i would die for your right to say it."

If the quote you're making is indeed "" precise, then clearly its a derivative of voltaire's approach.

[cavebat2000]

3. dont use google!

:)