Part of growing up is realizing the frustrating, heartbreaking truth that intense and sustained long-term effort is needed to effect change.

Obama set a record number of deportations of illegal immigrants in 2011, but that fact alone is misleading. Obama has spoken in favor of and has urged Congress to pass the DREAM Act, a bill that would allow young undocumented immigrants to stay in America, their home, and achieve citizenship by going to college or serving in the military.

The Profile in Courage Award recognizes elected officials who choose to do what is right, not what is easy, so that we might learn from their example. Each time we give the award, we bear witness to the past for the sake of the future.

Voting is great, but it's not an accomplishment. It's a responsibility.

I was raised in the church, and there's still a fire burning inside me. I definitely don't ever want to be preachy. But less and less young people are religious. The thing is, I see so many positive things about religion, so I'm happy to talk about it.

Faith... must be enforced by reason... when faith becomes blind it dies.

God has never ceased to be the one true aim of all right human aspirations.

You're just left with yourself all the time, whatever you do anyway. You've got to get down to your own God in your own temple. It's all down to you, mate.