We still have freedom. What freedom have we lost? The freedom to open up a business and just serve the people we want to serve? Not much of a freedom in my book. In fact some segments of our society have more freedom than they ever had in our society. All societies balance the rights of the individual with the needs of society.
Hell, here’s freedom for you. When I went to Lincoln’s boyhood home the tour guide was telling us that Lincoln was exposed to slavery at a really young age because instead of paying property taxes back then, you had to spend two weeks working on your local road. So he would be with his father working on the roads during this time. But people in the area would send their slaves to work the two weeks instead of them doing it themselves. Lincoln’s father didn’t own slaves so he had to do it himself. I asked the guide what would happen if someone didn’t work on the road. He said they’d be thrown in jail for the two weeks and pay a fine.
Now I hate property taxes as much as the next guy, but I’d much rather pay taxes then be forced to work on a road.
We have lost the freedom associate with those with whom we wish to associate, and not associate with those with whom we do not wish to associate.
Unless, of course, we’re members of a “protected class”. Then, we have some freedom of association.