All of a sudden, social conservatives are *all about* protecting individual freedom, liberty, etc.

Because their freedom to deny those other people their freedom and rights and opportunities is being challenged and overruled.

Exhibit A: Gay marriage. When Ted Cruz or Mike Huckabee talks about "religious freedom", they are referring to the freedom to discriminate against the less privileged. The freedom to be bigoted assholes without consequence. The freedom to deny other people any happiness, joy, love, or indeed, opportunities.

That's why Ted Cruz says that legalizing gay marriage is one of the darkest days in American history. Their belief system is based on bigotry, prejudice, and moralizing against what they regard as "perversion" or "sin." They can't stand seeing their belief system being challenged, thwarted, and stymied...and furthermore, the fact that so many gay couples genuinely love each other in spite of the moralizers and the voices of condemnation and prejudice and hatred and the viciousness thrown at them - that really, really gets to bigots like Cruz and Huckabee in a bad way.

What a sad, pathetic life it must be, to seethe with rage at other people living and loving their lives in the way that makes sense to them, REGARDLESS of whether it makes sense to YOU ("you" meaning the bigots). I hope that the bigots find peace with themselves, for everyone's sake. Otherwise, they can just fuck off.