The oppression of any people for opinion's sake has rarely had any other effect than to fix those opinions deeper, and render them more important.

Summary

This quote suggests that when people are oppressed or persecuted for their beliefs, it often has the opposite effect of strengthening and reinforcing those beliefs. Rather than causing people to abandon or change their opinions, oppression can actually make those ideas more meaningful and significant to the oppressed individuals. It implies that suppressing diverse perspectives only serves to solidify and give greater value to those opinions, potentially fueling resistance and further entrenchment of beliefs.

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