When did the so many Americans become authoritarians?

[Hob]

For a people who supposedly love freedom it seems to me like most Americans support some law or another for some legislation to ban some behavior that they disagree with. With people on the right it's gay marriage or pornography or burning the flag or something. For people on the left I know plenty who would be all for banning cars with high mpg or banning letting your kids eat McDonalds cheeseburgers or they would support some population control or other.

Both left and right... they are chock full of people who want to legislate their world view on everyone else. "There oughta be a law." Common phrase on both sides.
@DM: I don't care what you think everyone should want. Everyone should be free to make their own decisions.