This is true if one believes he is talking about a society in disagreement of opinions and being ridiculed for your belief. Christians or some other religious belief find this to be true and politicians . Atheists find this true too, if in church. If one is talking of government preventing free speech. I think as a whole it is free.
Free speech requires disagreement and suppression of verbal and harassment must be resisted to be free. Or our free speech is not a thing more then bound in silence.

So I give it a five. For one to stay free...he/she must settle their own differences or the law of justice will bind us all. The law of justice will only grow to larger chains in seeking that course for equitability. Freedom as a child is lost the minute Mom/Dad or some other authoritarian steps in to serve justice and same with the law. Free men must be their own guide and only moral men will be free. Or one is served and bound in the chains of the law. Anytime one hollers help to stop an action....suppression of freedom is there forever. As our forefathers said, government is a necessary evil. I give it a five.

So very true....the very reason that our forefathers saw and knew that despots would seek election and usurp authority to get their self sanctified reward. The very reason also, our forefathers gave us nullification to deny these despots their usurped authority. When one has had enough of the chains, nullify.

The question I ask is should the state be involved in the first place? Because if they are? It shows they have an opinion already of interest on the subject at hand in wanting a majority/mob rule.. This is more prevalent the farther the state is from us. Federal being the farthest and county the closest. Anytime a vote is taken, it shows one more step of individual liberty diminished. And the state encouraged that by simply holding the vote of opinions. Yet some would make argument that we need to work together? Should it be by state or joining in a joint effort by those who choose to belong? Allowing individuals the right to exempt themselves?

Lessor men takes what ever they can get, (self satisfaction) and justifies there behaviour as good in their own eyes. The greater man sees a creator accountability and controls himself in that light, as we are all God's creatures. It is to bad that there are so many lessor men as politicians these days. I think of the Pharisee pounding his chest and saying, "See how good I am" Hypocrites?