As an artist relies on the power of illusion to create an image capable of revealing truth, so must we all use illusions in our daily lives. Used well, illusions bring much needed insights into ourselves and our place among others. Misused, illusions become the seeds of war. The type of war that exists in every heart of every human every day. It is our choice--alone, our responsibility--alone, as to how we--alone respond to this internal war. We, as a nation, seem to be at war with anything and everything that dares to threaten our paradigms, no matter how slight the threat may be. We seem to be incapable of honoring opportunities of change and growth. Individually, are we so vanquished by the sense of utter lack of control in our personal lives, that we can so easily join up with some to exert inappropriate control over others?  Is this the life we want? America, land of the hateful? Each time we perceive ourselves as absolutely right, others must be absolutely wrong. Each time we perceive ourselves as absolutely good, others must be absolutely bad. Each time we perceive ourselves as absolutely entitled to live, others must be absolutely put to death. As the terrorists' claims of defending the true Muslim faith are made false by their distortions, so are the Kristian Reich's claims of their defense of Christianity.