What does Atticus say about the tom Robinson case?

Atticus is accused of being a "nigger-lover", just because he is defending a black man; most of people in Maycomb criticize him,in fact discrimination was a strong "feeling" at that time (and most of "white-people despised black people), but some people (like ms maudie) support him...

ps: Atticus hasn't actually decided to take the case, he was assigned to it :)