Ed, I must vehemently disagree with you regarding that statement. In the state of Texas, in order for a person to have the means available to protect themselves in public, outside their home or car, that person must PAY to obtain a training certificate, PAY the state of Texas for PERMISSION to carry a firearm, and then is very limited as to what method they may use to carry that firearm. How can that possibly be viewed as FREE?
Personally, I think this demonstrates what part of our problem is today. We consider it "exercising our freedom" to carry a firearm that we have to pay to obtain a permit for. We consider it "perfectly acceptable" and "only doing his job" when a police officer, absent any hint - let alone reasonable and articulable suspicion - of a crime being committed, stops a perfectly law abiding citizen and asks if he is licensed. I am sorry, I don't consider any of that to be freedom.