Also isn't smart enough to notice this is part of a punishment.
Yep.
Incarceration is not "freedom."
Probation is not "freedom."
Being forced to get vaccinated is not "freedom."
Giving someone a choice in which one of two options is unemployment, more jail time, or anything else negative is not "freedom."
It's no different than blackmailing someone with pictures of his adulterous romp in the sack. Sure, you're "free" to not pay and have the pictures sent to your spouse, your investors, your kids and your employer. Or, if they pointed a gun to your head to get you to "choose" to get the vaccine.
Backing someone into a corner to take the option YOU want them to choose is not a "free" choice. It's called coercion. If you're faced with threats -- threats of any negative consequences -- it's anything but a "free" choice.