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U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson said Tuesday that the nation's leaders must speak out against the racism and hatred seen 10 days ago in Charlottesville, Virginia, calling it not "who we are as Americans."

The Republican congressman, whose district includes Bossier and Caddo parishes, invoked the Declaration of Independence, the Bible and the 19th-century French writer Alexis de Tocqueville in offering his condemnation of racism.

But he gave primacy to the Bible, saying the nation's founders' reference to "self-evident truths" and "inalienable rights' in the Declaration of Independence stemmed from their belief that each person's worth is given by God rather than king.

"The racism and hatred that we saw on display in Charlottesville violated those fundamental principles of our great nation," Johnson said, speaking to around 100 people attending a meeting of the Shreveport Rotary Club at the Convention Center.

The first-term congressman said every person has "inestimable dignity and value" that is not related to physical appearance, wealth, schooling or ability to contribute.

"Any fool who contends that he had some sort of natural right of supremacy over his neighbors misunderstands and violates the basic premise, the foundational truth, of the country in which he lives," Johnson said.

Johnson did not refer directly to the white supremacists, neo-Nazis and members of the Ku Klux Klan who gathered Aug. 12 for a rally in Charlottesville. Counter-protesters gathered that day in Charlottesville, and one was killed when run over by a car driven by a man who, according to news reports, had expressed fondness for Adolf Hitler.

Johnson also did not mention President Donald Trump while addressing the events in Charlottesville. Trump has been criticized by some for his initial response to Charlottesville saying white supremacists and counter-protesters were equally to blame.

But Johnson did say that the nation's leaders have a responsibility to speak out against hate.

"Those are the simple truths that leaders like us have to be articulating. We have to say why is it wrong," he said. "This is crazy. But why is it so crazy? Because it violates who we are as Americans, and we have to say that with great force."

He said the United States is not "the unrest in the streets, it's not the strife between various groups, it's not the vitriol in our politics."

Johnson also touted a "commitment to civility" that he wrote and that all 50 first-term members of Congress – Democrats and Republicans – have signed since taking office in January.

"I'm sick of the level of our public discourse," he said. "We ought to just show a basic level of respect and dignity to one another. . . . If we're going to change the tone in the country, it ought to start with the nation's leaders."

Johnson said he hopes to persuade half of the members of Congress to sign his civility pledge by the end of September.

"My goal is by the end of September to see if we can at least half the Congress to sign on to this commitment and change the tone. I think we can," he said.

Johnson addressed other topics, too. Here are some:

On President Trump

"He's a unique kind of leader. We've never had a president like him before, and we're probably not going to have another one like him again."

"In person in a small setting, he's one of the most engaging people you would ever know. Everybody in here, you would so enjoy being with him. He's very affable and humble and open to input from everybody, he really is."

"I think that he has learned some hard lessons about governing over the past several months. I think that we're starting to see a change."

Johnson said he's "a big fan" of Gen. John Kelly, the president's new chief of staff, and predicted that Kelly would bring "some messaging discipline" to the White House.

On raising the nation's debt ceiling

In response to an audience member who asked, "Why are the cowards in Congress going to raise the debt ceiling again?" The nation is expected to reach its authorized borrowing limit in late September.

Johnson's response: "That's an excellent question. I will not be one of the cowards, I commit to you."

He said today's generation is committing "a totally immoral act" by passing a national debt of more than $19 trillion on to future generations.

"We have to make tough choices," he said. "They're very difficult choices, they're not popular. People say very mean things about you on social media."

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Kentucky Republican who is majority leader in the Senate, said Monday that there is "zero chance" that Congress will not raise the debt limit.

On town hall meetings with constituents

"I've done 17 town halls now. That's not always recommended if you have high blood pressure. But we continue to do it because we have to get the word out."