Republicans have long maintained they’re for individual freedom, but in reality this isn’t absolute, and must be put in context.
The context is they want the freedom to do as they please, regardless of the impact on others. This is a one-way street; it doesn’t go in the other direction, and they’re absolutely not above interfering in your personal life.
Banning abortion. Some would ban contraceptives. (Will police search your bedroom?) Last week, Justice Clarence Thomas argued for allowing states to ban interracial marriage, too.
In some places, Republicans are banning (1) books, (2) discussing America’s race history in schools, and (3) the biological fact that some people are born gay (which they insist, wrongly, is a “behavior”).
They also want to force private social media companies to host conservative propaganda. As an op-ed (here) in The Hill puts it, “Texas HB20 — a proposal that would prohibit online platforms from removing hateful, violent and spammy content …, [is] the latest Republican attempt at government intervention [to] prevent ‘censorship’ of conservative viewpoints.”
I trust you noticed the author characterized “conservative viewpoints” as “hateful, violent, and spammy.” While arguably not all conservative viewpoints fit that description, it’s hard to honestly argue that none do. But this is beside the point. It’s none of the government’s damn business what private companies publish, and the fact Republicans want government to force them to publish their views proves they intend to impose their speech on you, not protect yours.
Do I need to go on? I could talk about this for hours. Overthrowing elections is counter to freedom. Talk of civil war, a military coup, and shooting peaceful protesters — all of which sputters from Republican mouths like fuses of Fourth of July roman candles — isn’t upholding freedom. The ways in which Republicans want to infringe your freedoms are as numberless as the stars.
I believe in a competitive two-party system, but Republicans aren’t electable right now. What America needs is a better Republican Party, and better Republicans.