Do read the Militia Act of 1792 as indication of the design of the Republic by the founders of this county.
http://www.constitution.org/mil/mil_act_1792.htm
“each and every free able-bodied white male citizen of the respective States, resident therein, who is or shall be of age of eighteen years, and under the age of forty-five years (except as is herein after excepted) shall severally and respectively be enrolled in the militia”
What we have now is what Washington warned us about in 1783.
http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/a1_8_12s6.html
“a large standing Army in time of Peace hath ever been considered dangerous to the liberties of a Country”
And yes, as a citizen, you belong to the “collective.” Same now as in 1792. Like it or don’t. You get the benefits you pay the price. This fact is one reason why the FedGov is so wrong in how it operates currently. To command the loyalty and service of a free people requires that the government be worthy of such support. Today the FedGov operates outside of the Constitution in over half of what it does.
Give me the Articles of Confederation. Constitution is the first document of that degree of significance in the history of western civilization that based its authority on the people rather than the Almighty. “We the people” unfortunately means what it says. The Constitution is how we got where we are today. Damn your Militia Act of 1792.