What does it really mean to be free?

I looked online for writing prompts because I was kind of stuck. I did not know what to write about. All I knew is that I wanted to write about SOMETHING...ANYTHING! Well freedom has been a big issue lately. It is all over the news. We hear about it everytime the news is turned on. There have been riots and protests in Egypt. All the citizens wants is an unoppressed government. They have been under a dictorship for thirty years. I cannot even begin to fathom how that must be. Hell, I do not even know what thiry years looks like. I have not experienced that long of a time period yet. As Americans we pride ourselves on living in a free nation. (I feel like raising a stinct here) How free are we really? Lately, it does not seem as though we have as much freedom as we should. There are always buts added on. We have freedom of the press but it has to be censored through the FCC to ensure user friendly content. We have freedom to assemble but if we assemble, there are chances of the police gathering everyone and throwing them all in jail. Think Vietnam and hippies. We have freedom of religion but every year I feel less and less uncomfortable saying "Merry Christmas" and use the more politically correct "Happy Holidays." You all realize that this country, like it or not, was founded on Christianity? Yet it seems that it is harder and harder to become a Christian everyday. We are held up to these super high standards that it is almost impossible to stick to. You know how many times people say, "You say you are Christian but you do this or you do that?" Yes, I am not perfect. I SIN PEOPLE! WE ALL SIN! It is part of being Christian but most of all it is part of being human. God forgives our sins. He died for our sins. It is a vicious circle. When will it ever end? So what does it REALLY mean to be free? Nothing. It means nothing. I have yet to see complete freedom in the lovely country of the United States of America. Maybe I am just being cynical?