There are many reasons why I admire Ron Paul, the Libertarian-Republican. I agree with half of his program, and I disagree so strongly with the other half, that I hope he will never achieve power in this country. I feel certain that he won't, because most of his program, if implemented, would be so revolutionary, that it would cause very radical change in the way this country is governed.

That said, I shall now state the main reason why I admire Ron Paul. He is a man of principle. He is no political opportunist. He takes political positions based on his own honest assessment of the situation. In a statement on his web site, he gives his views on the New York City ground zero mosque controversy

Here are excerpts:

Is the controversy over building a mosque near ground zero a grand distraction or a grand opportunity? Or is it, once again, grandiose demagoguery?

The debate should have provided the conservative defenders of property rights with a perfect example of how the right to own property also protects the 1st Amendment rights of assembly and religion by supporting the building of the mosque.

Instead, we hear lip service given to the property rights position while demanding that the need to be 'sensitive' requires an all-out assault on the building of a mosque, several blocks from 'ground zero.'

The fact that so much attention has been given the mosque debate, raises the question of just why and driven by whom?

In my opinion it has come from the neo-conservatives who demand continual war in the Middle East and Central Asia and are compelled to constantly justify it.

They never miss a chance to use hatred toward Muslims to rally support for the ill conceived preventative wars.

Many fellow conservatives say they understand the property rights and 1st Amendment issues and don’t want a legal ban on building the mosque. They just want everybody to be “sensitive” and force, through public pressure, cancellation of the mosque construction.

This sentiment seems to confirm that Islam itself is to be made the issue ...

It is repeatedly said that 64% of the people, after listening to the political demagogues, don’t want the mosque to be built. What would we do if 75% of the people insist that no more Catholic churches be built in New York City? The point being is that majorities can become oppressors of minority rights as well as individual dictators. Statistics of support is irrelevant when it comes to the purpose of government in a free society—protecting liberty.

This is all about hate and Islamaphobia.

Here is a man who sticks to his principles.. John McCain, Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin are mere opportunists, knaves and slaves of the false gods of demagoguery