Better not tread on the New England patriot

There’s something hollow about Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas’ rationale for not joining his teammates in an official visit to the White House this week to commemorate their Stanley Cup championship.

Thomas dissed the photo op with President Obama because, he said, he was exercising his “right as a Free Citizen.”

A staunch Tea Party libertarian who has the words “Don’t Tread on Me” on his game mask, the all-star railed against all government in a statement he posted Monday night on his Facebook page.

“I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties, and Property of the People,” he wrote. “This is being done at the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial level. This is in direct opposition to the Constitution and the Founding Fathers vision for the Federal government.

“Because I believe this, today I exercised my right as a Free Citizen, and did not visit the White House. This was not about politics or party, as in my opinion both parties are responsible for the situation we are in as a country. This was about a choice I had to make as an INDIVIDUAL.”

With Thomas’ snub coming the same week Arizona’s Republican Gov. Jan Brewer—far from the most tactful (or eloquent) of our states’ chief executives—wagged her finger in Obama’s face upon his arrival for a speech in that state, it’s hard not to lament how the principle of respect for the Presidency of the United States has become so trivial for so many.

That Thomas has that right of free speech with no fear of retribution is indicative of the liberties we continue to enjoy in this country. Obama is no despot; he’s the man we elected to be our leader in 2008 and the one we can throw out this November if that’s the will of the electorate—another liberty that some of us apparently take for granted.

It’s hard not to be as sour as Thomas about the way Washington operates and, yes, he does have the right not to go to the White House. But in choosing this path he went rogue on his teammates and symbolically flipped off Obama. In his own way, Thomas helped to perpetuate the divisiveness that has plagued this nation since Vietnam.

Way to stand tall, Tim Thomas, for your country, your teammates and especially for yourself. For your sake we sure hope you won’t have to pay a higher tax on that $5 million salary of yours. Why would we want to impose on you to perhaps help others less fortunate. Ah, the hell with ‘em. They can’t even stop a slapshot.