When I discuss with others the idea of living in a peaceful, stateless world, I am most frequently asked: "but what about national defense? What if the Chinese, or North Korean, or an aggressive Islamic state, wanted to invade America, destroy our way of life, and enslave us to their regime? How might we defend ourselves from those who want to use force to take us over?"

While such questions reflect legitimate concerns, they overlook one disturbing truth: what people fear took place centuries ago. America was "taken over" by powerful interests who used the machinery of the state to reduce all of us to their violent control; that we might be the resources for the accomplishment of their purposes. That one of the most popular Broadway shows is based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, reflects just how thoroughly most of us have internalized the grasping purposes of the so-called "Founding Fathers." Should anyone put together a show on the life and thinking of Sam Adams, please let me know!