The neo-Pacifists mentioned in the article are different however. They (illogically, and stupidly) believe ANY use of force by anywhere for any reason is morally wrong. The bible never teaches this (or else Jesus would never have been called “Son of David,” since King David was the greatest of Israel’s warrior-kings) even though God clearly is grieved by violence (Noah’s pre-flood earth was “filled with violence” and hence needed to be destroyed) which in an ironic way necessitates violence by governing authorities to control unjust violence.
Amish and Mennonites believe in not using force for any reason. They are preyed on in some communities.
Traditional Mennonites accepted the idea that the State has a right to use force--only that Mennonites should not be involved in that (and should minimize involvement with the State--by, not voting, for example). They would pay their taxes though, and accepted police protection (by non-Mennonites).
More radical pacifists, and the new neo-pacifists mentioned in the article (like many of the ones at Messiah College) believe that NO ONE should exercise force--and they'd like to authorize the State to force that to be so (ironic, yes?).
The fact that they are preyed upon was C.S. Lewis' argument against pacifism--in that no State or government can be pacifist long, as sooner or later, it will be conquered by those who have no qualms using violence to attain and maintain power. The same applies on a local level: Pacifists (like everyone) are ALWAYS dependent for protection by persons who use force, that is non-pacifists--it cannot be escaped.
Therefore in a sense, pacifist communities are always parasitic to non-pacifists...a BIG reason they've historically been persecuted--since people saw them as a community as not doing their fare share.
Interesting enough, the EARLIEST Anabaptists, in the 16th Century were NOT pacifists and directly challenged Roman Catholic (and other Protestant) political authority. These however were militarily crushed and wiped out, causing folk like Menno Simons (founder of the Mennonites) to look to pacifism as an ironic self-defense-mechanism for their religious communities--to assure rulers, they were not challenging State rule--and were no threat to their power.
Pacifist religious groups have only really been protected well in America, however....