George,

John Borgmeyer can laugh all he wants to at the concept of land ownership and I will still own the land my house stands on. I own it because the government and our culture agree with me that it is mine. Our laws say ownership of land is a legitimate concept and so it is.

The traditions that give people title to land are ancient and may precede homo sapiens as a species. After all, we are not the only species that thinks it can own land. Multitudes of animal species act as if they value ownership and they will defend that principle to their death, or the death of a competitor. In fact they might even kill you for trespassing on their land.

I'd like to hear John define "ownership". If we can't own land can we own minerals that were once part of it? Can I own a diamond or a gold nugget or a load of gravel? Can I own things on the land? Can I own trees? Can I own my house? Can I own my clothes that are in a dresser that is in the house that is on the land that I can't own?

Kevin Cox (electronic mail, April 12, 2002)