There are people who say that this is a 60 year old issue and that it has no place for discussion in our modern society.  I wonder if they would say that same thing to a Jewish person who references the holocaust which is older than the civil rights issue by 20 years.

I'm upset by today's show. As a long-time anti-racist activist and a person filled with hatred towards discrimination of any kind, I, like Rand, still oppose private discrimination laws for many reasons.

First of all, I would refuse to cater to anyone who was a neo-Nazi, or a racist, or a bigot who obviously hated homosexuals, for example. I want to right to kick people out who I think are disgusting and terrible, like racists. And as terrible as it is to allow racists to discriminate, I feel that if they own something themselves, the State has no right to say what they can and can't do with it (if I can do the same towards those people).

Secondly, we seem to forget how the Federal Gov. has been terribly abusive towards minorities, and its expanded reach has often resulted in more destruction of minority rights. Zoning laws, which Rand opposes, have been used countless times to harass gay bars. A bloated and expanding police force, which Rand opposes as well, has been at the forefront of the abuse of African-Americans, homosexuals, etc.

And let's not even talk about the marriage laws that Rand opposes, which are every bit as bad as the segregation laws that THE STATE SUPPORTED for hundreds of years.

Don't despair Dr. Maddow, your loony left status is merely a matter of perspective. It is the political equivalent of Einstein's theory of relativity.

When you are so far to the right that hard right conservatives think you're a loon, anybody to the left of far right will necessarily look like the loony left.

Rachel,

I want to tell you how much your pursuit of truth and transparency in the public discussion (all of them and there are so many) means to me. My teenage daughters have begun watching your show (19 and 16) and they also look at you and your show as one of the few venues for well researched, fair, balanced and honest reporting. Thank you for that. We will continue to watch and support you. This type of dialog is so important especially for our children and future leaders. It is so disappointing that the media has sold out to big business/political machine. I personally am also excited to see a woman in your role. I am a business woman at a large corporation and I see the political agenda every day. Stay the course Rachel.......it means alot to all of us.

Selina Clawson

Maple Valley, WA

Rachel, your segment tonight was not completely fair. You paint libertarians as if their policies will result in the dissolving of society. The primary goals on the libertarian agenda are not ending discrimination laws, but ending war, domestic spying, and the centrally planned economy.

I don't approve of how Rand acted on your show, or what he said the next day. He is new to the political sphere, and saw your interview as an obscure attack, not as an important question that points to the larger debate of where the government can interfere in discrimination.

I will be incredibly disappointed if you are not equally as inquisitive on Conway's stances on the patriot act, the war in Iraq, and bailouts.

You pretend like libertarianism is a dangerous undercurrent in society, while you dismiss the really dangerous undercurrent of the endless compromises made by the Democrats and Republicans with the largest corporations and banks in the world.

Just look at how the European Union is bullying Iceland and Greece into economic slavery. That is the true threat to the fabric of society. Not some libertarian who thinks citizens can take care of most issues outside of government intervention.

I like to try to find the good in everything. What good could possibly come of this? Sarah Palin coming out and backing Rand Pauls stance on private business discrimination you know the tea party way. Oh how I cross my fingers for this, as I think it would finally be the end of hearing her fake Southern/Northern/Canandian/Alaskan/Alien/I have know Idea what it is accent on my TV and Radio. Maybe then will she finally be forced to go home and stay and that would be her private residence where she does not serve the public, and can ban all people she does not like. From the looks of it Rand Paul may just get to go home and do the same.

Hey Rachel,

Who cares about Rand Paul. He is a naive politician and he certainly isn't a libertarian. But you defaming a political philosophy for which you disagree is way more interesting; you being intellectually dishonest in said presentation is certainly worth noting as well.

That said, here are a few more planks that are championed by libertarians that you somehow forgot to demonize... planks that are now apparently ready for the dust-heap:

Freedom of speech
Freedom of expression
Personal privacy
Sexual privacy
Sensible drug laws
Reigning-in our military empire
A peaceful approach to foreign policy

Just seeing the few items on this list, one has to wonder... what on earth are these libertarians thinking?! That stuff is CrAzY TAlk!!!!!11!1

Regards,
Harrison

PS, Can't wait to see your segment showing the theoretical negatives that exist when taking liberal or progressive philosophies to their extremes. Do we even get to own property in that utopia?? I'm making popcorn now... can't wait for this!!!!!11!!1

While clearly Rand Paul's views are out of the mainstream when it comes to Private Property rights and now he's backing down like a good homogenized republican ought to. I'm a little misty for the loss of a diverse political view. There are so few true Libertarians in congress (and socialists, communists, anarchists etc...) that we lose diversity of thought and we get the massive polarization in politics. I know at least when it comes to Ron Paul, his father, there are very few if any democrats that are as anti-imperialist and anti-war as him. I guess I would rather see the Republican party bring back some of it's Libertarian views rather than have the entire party goose-step to the party line which is looking more and more like a Theocratic Fascist Party. We need Diverse political parties and views, even ones that 99% of us think is kinda crazy. Because while it might seem like a good Idea to have a Democratic Party dominate all branches of Government for the next 20 years, who amongst us is not so diluted to think that the DFL won't (bleep) it up?

We need some checks on authority, and I think the Republicans need a some checks on it's orthodoxy just as Rand Paul needs some checks on his. And just as the Democrats need on them as well. Once again my opinion only.

He has that inconvenient (R) next to his name and champions the Tea Party -- both are not libertarian. He supports a constitutional amendment to ban abortion -- another very un-libertarian thing. I don't support him in the least. But nice try.

And the popcorn is being saved for Maddow's pending expose on the theoretical negatives that exist when taking liberal or progressive philosophies to their extremes. This is when she demonizes you owning property -- like a car, or a cell phone or the television you watch her on. It is gonna be a hoot! I can't wait!!!!!!!!111!11

PS, You forgot to attack the libertarian causes I listed... so I will list them again, feel free to attack them as I know you want to:

Freedom of speech
Freedom of expression
Personal privacy
Sexual privacy
Sensible drug laws
Reigning-in our military empire
A peaceful approach to foreign policy