It is a wonderful technique to quote people during a speech. Quotations add currency to your speech. They tie your ideas to the wisdom of the past. They are often charming. A quotation is a great way to begin a speech, and often an even better way to end a speech.
"Fake quotations are bad."
Unfortunately, fake quotations float all over the Internet. You can easily find fake quotations from George Washington, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, or Abraham Lincoln. Many of the fake quotations falsely attribute extreme right-wing views to those famous persons. My article talked about a group of fake pro-gun quotations often attributed to the United States' Founders. Liberals get quotations wrong, too. Barack Obama once got caught using a fake Lincoln quotation.
So, use quotations, but always trace them back to the source. Never, ever assume that some blogger has the quotation right. Do not assume that a quotation collection that you find in the library or on the Internet is correct. Do not even assume that some journalist or college professor has the quotation right. If you cannot find the quotation in the actual person's writings or speeches, than the quotation is probably fake.
I also refer you to an interesting book entitled They Never Said It, by Paul F. Boller, Jr., who does a great job of talking about how fake quotations spread.
Just as the Internet makes it easy to find fake quotations, the Internet also makes it easy for your audience to catch them. Use one fake quotation in your speech, even once, and you will have harmed your credibility forever. If your audience has smartphones, they will probably find out that you used a fake quotation before you even finish the speech. So, yes, quote famous people, but check your sources and be very careful.
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