I don't see how there can be a functioning democracy without freedom of speech (with very few limitations) and equal treatment under the law. What I find reall

I don't see how there can be a functioning democracy without freedom of speech (with very few limitations) and equal treatment under the law. What I find really scary is that since left-wing has become to mean the same as liberal, a large part of the US population has come to define themselves as anti-liberal when I really hope that is not true.