There is an old story that tells of the frog being put into a cooking pot. It says that if you put the frog into the pot when the water is hot the frog will jump out quickly. But, if you put the frog in the water when the water is cold and then very gradually warm the water, the frog will never notice the change until it is too late and the frog is cooked.
Personal freedom is sort of like that frog. If the government takes away the public's freedoms in one fell swoop, they would rebel. But, if you whittle away those freedoms a little bit at a time, they will never notice that it's all gone until it's too late.
The main excuse government uses to infringe upon those freedoms is in the name of security, health or some other reason that is touted to be good for them. By it's very nature each step to increase restrictions, for any reason, removes a little bit of freedom. We have seen it in travel restrictions, first due to fear of terrorism and lately due to the Corona Virus.
Apparently the public is willing to give up some freedoms in order to feel good. But, at other times the restrictions are imposed by the government without the public's consent and the public puts up with it because they have no choice, such as the closing down of businesses and any other gathering, due to the virus.
The restrictions on gun ownership are another clear example. Over time, the restrictions on the ownership on guns has become more and more restrictive. Every time some nut opens up with a gun on more that a few people, the shout goes out to ban some kind of gun. Even though, in hindsight, it has been shown that none of the laws being considered would have interfered with the assault.
There is a move, now active, that brands any kind of speech against liberal orthodoxy as hate speech. Universities have decided that such speech will not be allowed except in areas that are designed "Safe Zones".
And the beat goes on.
The thing to contemplate is that once freedoms are taken away, they are seldom returned.
