My experience is that in a very real sense, there is less real freedom of speech in the USA than there was in the 70s. It's not so much PC as the over-reaction to PC issues. People are assumed to have negative emotions when using words such as 'niggardly' and 'tomahawk'.
I think ill-will and ignorance are trying to drive the freedom bus sometimes and the rest of us criticize the ride at our peril.

I miss you more than I can (safely) say George Carlin!