Civil liberties should be defended not because they foster a democratic society, but in spite of it. Mass fear will always be exploitable, that's why we need a set of political principles stronger than pure mob rule.
Probably your definition of freedom is something along the line of "the right to exercise free will and take responsibility for my decisions, and the ability to do so now and forever". With this definition, restricting your own rights is against this concept of freedom. My definition doesn't have that restriction.