One of the hallmarks of a free society is the concept of "private property". In the U.S., there's really no such thing.

The government charges a yearly rent on my home, in the form of property taxes. If I don't pay, I get evicted. The government also reserves the right to tell me what I am and am not allowed to do with my own home. So, when I "bought" my home, all I really bought was the revocable privilege of renting my home from the government.

The government reserves the right to extract money from my paycheck before I even get to see it. So, is my paycheck really my private property?

So yeah, you're right. The belief that the United States is the "land of freedom" is a complete myth.