"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32... and also chiseled into the marble entrance of the CIA Central Intellegience Agency... how's that for irony!
Most of what you believe about your government is a lie, an elaborate illusion to keep you ignorant of the truth. To the extent to which you buy their lies and the propaganda of the major media you are deluding yourself. "None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
So, citizen, are you going to take the blue pill or the red pill ? As Morpheus said, "all I offer is the truth and nothing more".
In great empires the people who live in the capital, and in the provinces remote from the scene of action, feel, many of them, scarce any inconveniency from the war; but enjoy, at their ease, the amusement of reading in the newspapers the exploits of their own fleets and armies.... They are commonly dissatisfied with the return of peace, which puts an end to their amusement, and to a thousand visionary hopes of conquest and national glory from a longer continuance of the war. Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations
The general rule is that an unconstitutional statute, though having the form and the name of law, is in reality no law, but is wholly void and ineffective for any purpose since unconstitutionality dates from the time of its enactment and not merely from the date of the decision so branding it; an unconstitutional law, in legal contemplation, is as inoperative as if it had never been passed... An unconstitutional law is void. (16 Am. Jur. 2d, Sec. 178)
“Nationalism does nothing but teach you to hate people you never met, and to take pride in accomplishments you had no part in.” Doug Stanhope
There's a fine line between the American dream and the American nightmare. Don Henley
You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality. - Ayn Rand
Most of the trouble in the world is caused by people wanting to be important. ~ T. S. Eliot
Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism when hatre for people other than your own comes first. Charles De Gaulle

Penhallow v. Doane’s Administrators

A popular patriot argument is based on the case of “Penhallow v. Doane’s Administrators, 3 U.S. 54; 1 L. Ed. 57; 3 Dall. 54", and it is alleged that in this case, the Supreme Court stated as follows:

“Inasmuch as every government is an artificial person, an abstraction, and a creature of the mind only, a government can interface only with other artificial persons. The imaginary –  having neither actuality nor substance –  is foreclosed from creating and attaining parity with the tangible. The legal manifestation of this that no government, as well as any law, agency, aspect, court, etc. therefor can concern itself with anything other than corporate, artificial persons and the contracts between them.”

That case may be read here.   I cannot find this quote in this case, so I will pay 2500 bux (FRNs) to anyone who can find this quote in this case.  Offers expires next Monday.