Those who lose family members and dear friends to war don't want the deaths to have been in vain. Consequently, wars become glorious deeds performed by noble soldiers fighting for truth, justice and the American way. Patriotic speeches tell us how much we owe to those who gave their lives so that America could remain free.

The speeches are well intentioned, but the speeches create a false reality that supports ever more wars. None of America's wars had anything to do with keeping America free. To the contrary, the wars swept away our civil liberties, making us unfree.