Opinions & Facts

My friend Burnetta posted the following quotation on facebook a few days ago:

"You're entitled to your own opinion. But you can't have your own facts."

I told her that I might just have to add it to my "Built-In Shit Detector" Mottoes" (see right-hand column -> -> ->)
but first, I was curious to learn more. Bounce around on google for a little while and here's what you'll find:

"Every man has a right to his own opinion, but no man has a right to be wrong in his facts”
--Credited to American financier Bernard M. Baruch (1870-1965), who probably said it in the 1940

“Each of us is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”
--Credited to James R. Schlesinger, United States Secretary of Defense from 1973 to 1975

“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.”
--Credited to Daniel Patrick Moynihan (1927-2003), United States Senator from New York from 1976 to 2000

Gender inclusive revision of Moynian:
"‘Everybody is entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts,' said Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Democrat of New York."
--Credited to Kenneth R. Weiss, 25 April 1989, New York (NY) Times, “States Circle Their Wagons for the Money Wars,” pg. A24.

P.S. Thanks Burnetta! I also have to thank Burnetta for bringing the vernal poem "Invitation Standing" into my life, back in grad school, thirty beauteous Aprils ago!