"Freedom is about authority. Freedom is about the willingness of every single human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do and how you do it." -Mayor Giuliani, New York Newsday pg A3 4/20/98
"State authority must provide for peace and order, and peace and order in turn must conversely make possible the existence of state authority. Within these two poles all life must now revolve...Ideas of 'freedom,' mostly of a misunderstood nature, inject themselves into the state conceptions of these circles". -Adolph Hitler, Mein Kampf
Any kind of intelligent analytic thinking goes over the head of some people.
They like their politicians simple. Sloganeering.
That quote is correct.
In the absence of the thoughts expressed you don't have freedom, you have anarchy.
The key word is LAWFUL authority.
IF a cop waves you and other traffic off a particular road, in his lawful capacity and authority, you are still a free American.
If everyone decides they will go where they choose, road hazard or not, you have anarchy and danger for all.
Again, the key is LAWFUL authority. It is why the founders founded a Government and a Constitution. All legitimizing lawful authority and Freedom.