Freedom is a tricky concept. No one is entirely free. We adhere to strict sets of rules — traffic laws, safety laws, interpersonal laws, economic laws. We aren’t free to do everything we want.

And yet we cherish our freedom. We call the US the land of the free, and to a great extent that is true.

But we shouldn’t fool ourselves. Other people make decisions about our individual freedoms all the time. This past year, after the fall of Roe v. Wade, politicians across the nation made decisions about the individual freedoms of millions of women. The vast majority of those politicians were men.

Where I live, in Florida, the governor and his supporters decided that everyone should be free to carry guns wherever they go, with no license needed.

In my opinion, this freedom regarding firearms is ill considered, at best. If I need a license to drive my automobile, which can indeed be used as a weapon but has an entirely different purpose, they should be required to seek a license to carry their guns.

As I said, freedom is tricky. No one is entirely free. Some people’s freedoms conflict with my needs. Some people’s limitations conflict with others’ freedom.

We cherish our freedom. May we remember that we must also cherish our ability to ensure freedom of individual expression and individual choice regarding our own bodies, and limit the freedom to use weapons of destruction on one another.