I have listened respectfully to what you have to
say. And I ask you to search your heart and ask
yourself what sort of unfathomable hate led you to
do what you are guilty and admit you are guilty of
doing. And I have an answer for you. It may not
satisfy you. But as I search this entire record, it
comes as close to understanding as I know.
It seems to me you hate the one thing that is most
precious. You hate our freedom. Our individual
freedom. Our individual freedom to live as we
choose, to come and go as we choose, to believe or
not believe as we individually choose. Here, in
this society, the very winds carry freedom. They
carry it everywhere from sea to shining sea. It is
because we prize individual freedom so much that you
are here in this beautiful courtroom. So that
everyone can see, truly see that justice is
administered fairly, individually, and discretely.
It is for freedom's sake that your lawyers are
striving so vigorously on your behalf and have filed
appeals, will go on in their representation of you
before other judges.