You are incorrect.
“I believe the country was created to be a voluntary union of the several sovereign states.”
Exactly. People have just forgotten that the states were sovereign at one time. So if I have to explain to the public educated, I always phrase it is: “What if France or Germany wanted to leave the European Union, and the EU said ‘No, and we’re going to keep a base in _____.’ Would France/Germany be traitors for wanting them to leave?”
Then they understand better. But sadly, people forget we still ARE sovereign states, in a voluntary union, and we’ll not have freedom until that is a remembered truth.