Dear Federal, State, and Local Governments

I am a tax-paying, law-abiding, citizen. I am a military veteran. I am a productive, constructive contributor to the well-being of my community and society as a whole. I am a patriot who takes seriously my responsibility to and for my government. My love for and accountability for my country can be summed up in Carl Schurz's words: "My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right."

I am also tired of being treated like a criminal or potential criminal, of having my liberty and dignity eroded in the name of "security" or "safety," of being spied on by airplanes in the sky, of being told what I may wear to a public event, of having my privacy infringed, of having my liberties denied, of being expected to mindlessly conform to one or another party's dogma in order to be considered a "good" American. I am tired of my government's efforts to take from me the fruits of my labors, the esteem of my neighbors, the respect I am due as a human being, the liberty to pursue happiness in my own way provided I harm none. I am tired of a government that wants to rule me instead of lead me, that prefers me docile and frightened rather than independent and courageous, that wishes I--I, a citizen and a patriot and a veteran--that wishes I would shut up and go away rather than challenge its excesses and confront its failures.

(This is not a partisan thing. This has been going on in federal, state, and local government for many administrations and under the leadership of both parties. I am not a tea-partier, I am not a DemoCRIP, I am not a RepuBLOODcan, I am an American. I am not beholden to, nor am I at all happy with, either of the parties that have abused the principles and soul of this great country for too long.)

And I am TIRED of a government that, far from being "Of the people, by the people, and for the people" serves special interests and its own at the expense of the common folk. I am TIRED of a government that thinks it--an entity with no heart, no soul, no real life--I am TIRED of a government that thinks it knows better than me what is good for me, that thinks it knows what I should do even when what I want to do harms nobody, a government that thinks it has the right to compel (at the expense of individual liberty) conformity and docility and mediocrity on me and everyone else that isn't already conforming and docile and mediocre.

Leaders don't rule, honorable ladies and gentlemen. Leaders serve. They don't dictate, they don't impose, they don't compel. You aren't acting like leaders; you're acting like thugs.

Because I am a patriot, because I subscribe to the kind of patriotism Carl Schurz articulated, because I love my country... I will not shut up, I will not go away, I will not conform, I will not surrender. I love America, and I will not surrender her. Because I am a patriot, I encourage other Americans to stand up to authority, including the TSA.

According to the TSA, that makes me a "domestic extremist," in the same category as a domestic terrorist. So be it. I will not let such things deter me from what I believe to be the right action, the patriotic action, the American action. I will not be intimidated, and I'm angry that my government would stoop to such tactics.

Dear Federal, State, and Local Governments,

You work for me, and your performance reviews stink. You're fired!