[Jay Redhawk]

And that document had no validity or standing until it was ratified by the states. The American people were the citizens of the states, which were at that time members of the Articles of Confederation. By agreeing to the Constitution the states were in essence seceding from the Confederation. The difference being that no group of states was willing to use force to save a failing Confederation.

[Tau Food]

Real Americans were never owned by or slaves to any state. The PEOPLE created the Constitution and no state, city or county can undo their will.

We the People of the United States!

[BroJoeK]

Jay Redhawk: "And that document had no validity or standing until it was ratified by the states."

But the new US Constitution was never ratified by state governments -- state legislatures, courts or governors.
Instead, it was ratified by "We the people" in every state, through specially elected ratification conventions.

Jay Redhawk: "By agreeing to the Constitution the states were in essence seceding from the Confederation.
The difference being that no group of states was willing to use force to save a failing Confederation."

And no group of states used force in 1861 to prevent Deep-South slave-holders from declaring secession.
But when those secessionists declared war on the United States (May 6, 1861) then the issue was not secession, but rather rebellion, insurrection, war and treason.

[Ditto]

And that document had no validity or standing until it was ratified by the states.

The Constitution was not ratified by the state governments or by the then existing congress, but by Ratafying Conventions organized in each state.