Freedom is a construction that has no basis in politics. Human beings are social beings, politics are institutionalization of social life. It's comprised of obligations and rights. People bitch about freedom only to give themselves some meaning and supposed value, and then climb a tower from which they can bombard other people with their awesomeness.
When people talk about their "freedom" i immediately hear "rights". You are not free. You have more rights than other people. Your government gave you rights. Your government will take them when necessary. You didn't claim anything. Your society (and every society imposes obligations on it's members) gave you those rights. Politics is empirical area of study. Freedom is philosophical. Your government doesn't owe shit to you, and hence it won't grant shit to you if it doesn't have to. If rights granted to you by an institution is "freedom" to you, than you are in a sad and pathetic state of mind.
America grants rights to it's citizens because it can do so without damage. America will take those rights once it becomes too dangerous for government. It's not freedom. Freedom cannot be taken just like that. Rights can.
When people talk about their "freedom" i immediately hear "rights". You are not free. You have more rights than other people. Your government gave you rights. Your government will take them when necessary. You didn't claim anything. Your society (and every society imposes obligations on it's members) gave you those rights. Politics is empirical area of study. Freedom is philosophical. Your government doesn't owe shit to you, and hence it won't grant shit to you if it doesn't have to. If rights granted to you by an institution is "freedom" to you, than you are in a sad and pathetic state of mind.
America grants rights to it's citizens because it can do so without damage. America will take those rights once it becomes too dangerous for government. It's not freedom. Freedom cannot be taken just like that. Rights can.