My current favorite fantasy author George R.R. Martin - author of many good books, currently the series Song of Ice and Fire - has a blogpost on freedom.  A choice quote:

What is "freedom," anyway? We could debate that for hundreds of posts, I'm sure, and maybe we will. The way I see it, however, it has got to mean more than just being able to choose between a Republican and a Democrat every few years. I want all the rights and freedoms guaranteed me in the Bill of Rights, certainly... including the one protecting me against unreasonable searches and seizures that we have abrogated in the name of safety and airport "security." But the Bill of Rights should not be the end of it. The right to privacy may have been invented by the Supreme Court rather than the Founding Fathers, you can argue that as you will, but however it came about, it's a pretty nifty right and I'd like to hang on to it. I want the right to do stupid, hazardous, self-destructive stuff as well; to drink absinthe, smoke pot, smoke tobacco, drive my car without the seatbelt, bungee jump off bridges, watch porn, order my eggs sunny-side up and my hamburgers rare, have unprotected sex, drink unpasteurized milk. I have only done a few of those things, actually (I will leave it to you to figure out which ones), and most I would never consider -- but I SHOULD have the right to do all of them. The choice should be mine, not yours, and not the government's. Giving individuals a CHOICE in how we live is our lives is the essence of freedom, I think.

And shouldn't ordinary law-abiding people have the basic, fundamental right not to be treated like goddamned criminals everywhere they go?

The post also compares and contrasts how, starting in the eighties, we began to be what I call "over-regulated".  More regulations for everything, more checks, etc, etc.  

It's a shame really - was brought home to me, really,when hanging out with a neighbors kids, and being told of the "curfew" law, for people under 18.

"Curfew law?  What's a curfew law?".  Some information here.

I certainly did not grow up with a curfew law - nor with any clothing requirements (read:  uniform) for junior or high school.

What do people think?  Is the post referred overstating the case?