Author of the Declaration of Independence

Here stands your humble (most of the time) blogger in Jefferson, Texas, yesterday with one of the greatest Americans of all time.

In 1962 President John F. Kennedy invited the Nobel Laureates to a
White House dinner in their honor. Kennedy turned to the impressive
gathering and commented that he saw before him "probably the greatest
concentration of talent and genius in this house except for perhaps
those times when Thomas Jefferson ate alone."

Tom has a rather stoic expression on his face, but I have a feeling if
he could speak, he'd be saying, "Son, why haven't you had another
revolution yet!" I said "every 20 years."

Here are a couple of quotes from Jefferson, VERY relevant to what has befallen his once-great nation:

When citizens fear their government, you have tyranny; when the government fears its citizens, you have freedom.
— Thomas Jefferson

History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which their civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes.
— Thomas Jefferson