Because federal hate crime laws criminalize thoughts, they are incompatible with a free society.

Liberty is lost through complacency and a subservient mindset. When we accept or even welcome automobile checkpoints, random searches, mandatory identification cards, and paramilitary police in our streets, we have lost a vital part of our American heritage. America was born of protest, revolution, and mistrust of government. Subservient societies neither maintain nor deserve freedom for long.

There was a time when a willingness to criticize one's own government when it was wrong was the very definition of patriotism.

Real patriotism is a willingness to challenge the government when it's wrong.

I'm always looking for an opportunity to bring progressive Democrats together with some conservative libertarian types, because there are places where we can agree.

Setting a good example is a far better way to spread ideals than through force of arms.

We get our rights from our Creator as individuals. So every individual should be treated the same way.