America is truly heading straight for our next revolution. This revolution will not be one of innovation or industry. Rather, this revolution will come in the form of a people who have finally become fed up with the overreaching of boundaries on all sides by the American government.

There will be a day in the future when Founding Father Thomas Jefferson will have his words read before our government as its people prepare for a revolt from their master. Jefferson himself saw this type of rebellion as a necessity, not only because it is healthy to exercise our inalienable rights as humans, but more importantly because it shows that true freedom comes with great sacrifice and yields even greater reward.

I feel Jefferson was ultimately correct in this notion because there is a plague that stains our once-great nation. The plague, sadly, is its people. A once humble nation, we are now diluted to being crooks, vagabonds, adulterers and loyal only to the highest bidder.

It is a most horrific and morbid thought to hope for such a revolution to happen within my lifetime, but I for one think that in order for America to move forward, truly forward, we need to be brought to our knees, destroyed and made anew.

A truly free nation, one with a highly constrained but functional central government, is only worth its weight on paper so long as its people believe in its ability to operate in a practical manner. This is all an illusion for us today. We do a lot of talking about change, but we do even more to make sure we have an excuse for why it isn't our fault when change never arrives.

The experts we have elected to lead us are inept and carry massive baggage in the form of obligations to outside interest groups, which ironically does not include the wishes of the same citizens who elected them to office. There is absolutely no vulnerability to those we elect either, seeing as how they determine who interviews them, what questions are asked and what topics are off-limits. If I had a dime for every time a lie was told by someone who represents us, I could probably make up the amount of deficit we accumulate outside of our budget every year.

Many of the predictions that our founders gave to us long ago about our government today have come true. Almost every aspect, reason and justification for why we wanted to disassociate ourselves from the tyrannical rule of the British is coming full circle once again, but this time on our own front.

Do not sit by idly and watch as our ruined government commands obedience from its people. Command obedience to your government, or prove yourself a worthy patriot to repair or replace our problem. Serve your country, not your government.

Steven Ellis
Gainesville