Our government fears nothing

Is this the transformational government our forefathers dreamed of -- and our soldiers died for?

Our government now can assassinate American citizens -- all without due process -- because these people are deemed a threat to national security. Their names were included on a government "Kill List," and, to date, numbers four.

Our government now secretly spies on the free press, reading reporters' private emails and obtaining private phone records, all in the name of national security. When caught, our nation's attorney general said he felt "a creeping sense of personal remorse."

Our government now uses one of its most powerful and feared agencies -- the IRS -- to secretly harass and intimidate American citizens in an attempt to silence their political views, simply because these people disagree with government policies and programs. When caught, our government would only apologize.

Our government was caught in a secret gun-smuggling operation in which several thousand military-style weapons were allowed to be sold to notorious Mexican drug cartels. When caught, and Congress demanded answers, President Obama invoked "executive privilege" and the truth remains hidden from the American people.

Recently, The Associated Press attempted to gather information from our government through the Freedom of Information Act. It was discovered that secret email accounts now are being used by government officials, making it almost impossible to gather information.

Thomas Jefferson once said, "When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty."

In 2013, our government fears nothing.

WILLIAM PIERCEY SR., Jackson