إنّ حقّ الفحص الحرّ للشخصيات العامة والسياسات، وحقّ التواصل الحرّ بين الناس بشأنها، هو منذ القدم عند الحكماء الضمانُ الفعّال الوحيد لكل حق آخر.

“The right of freely examining public characters and measures, and of free communication among the people thereon . . . has ever been justly deemed the only effectual guardian of every other right.”James Madison — The Virginia Report of 1799-1800: Touching the Alien and Sedition Laws; Together with the Virginia Resolutions of December 21, 1798, Including the Debate and Proceedings Thereon in the House of Delegates of Virginia and Other Documents Illustrative of the Report and Resolutions (1850)