“There can be no such thing as a political crime under the American system of law. Since an individual has the right to hold and to propagate any ideas he chooses (obviously including political ideas), the government may not infringe his right; it may neither penalize nor reward him for his ideas; it may not take any judicial cognizance whatever of his ideology.

“By the same principle, the government may not give special leniency to the perpetrator of a crime, on the grounds of the nature of his ideas.” — Ayn Rand, “‘Political’ Crimes,” Return of the Primitive: The Anti-Industrial Revolution.

Learn More:

• “Free Speech”; “Censorship” in The Ayn Rand Lexicon

• Onkar Ghate on the State of Free Speech

• Defending Free Speech edited by Steve Simpson