“Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.”

– Karl Hess, as speechwriter for Barry Goldwater’s acceptance speech

This was later restated by Malcom X, in December, 1964, as:

“My reason for believing in extremism—intelligently directed extremism, extremism in defense of liberty, extremism in quest of justice—is because I firmly believe in my heart that the day the black man takes an uncompromising step and realizes he’s within his rights, when his own freedom is being jeopardized, to use any means necessary to bring about his own freedom or put a halt to that injustice, I don’t think he’ll be by himself. [Emphasis added.]”