Musings on freedom

Sigh.  Maybe I'm confused about what it means to be free.  In the wake of mass shootings and tragedies, I keep seeing posts about the dangers of gun free zones, and stern warnings about the sacred freedoms protected by the Second Amendment.  And I wonder what's wrong with me.  I understand the need to be free to protect myself without having to wait for someone else to do it.  I understand wanting to be free to protect my home and my loved ones from attack.  However, when I truly dig down to think about the freedom that I long for, that would be truly free, I don't find weapons in that picture.  When I think about freedom, I don't picture an armed camp.  When I think of freedom, I don't long for the freedom to walk into a bar or a church or a school with my handgun.  I long for the day when I can walk freely without fear, without the need to carry a weapon because I'm afraid of the people around me and what they might do.