The political bumper sticker has as much to do with the right of free speech as an unfettered media or uncensored books and movies (ha!). Here 's a quote by Martin Niemoeller from a plaque at the entrance to the Holocaust memorial near Quincy Market in Boston, Mass. Whilst pertaining to Nazi Germany, the quote may serve to describe the loss of freedoms in ANY society at ANY time. Freedoms, once surrendered, are hard to win back :

"They came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up - because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I didn' t speak up - because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up - because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up - because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me - and by this time there was no one left to speak up."