Are we a conquered people?

It’s a really uncomfortable question to wrestle with. Conquered people, after all, have their agency taken away. They are hauled off in chains, put in debt peonage, and even slavery. While the Hollywood images are drummed up, it isn’t a stretch either when you read history and understand that taxes, for instance, were put on those who were conquered. Of course, we have more agency than someone in a medieval village who was put into bondage. But, this isn’t freedom either.