I don't understand how systemd restricts freedom.
There is hardly a piece of software you can use without dependencies.
How is that bad?
Systemd is not an init is a set of tools. So most desktop environments are
using those tools. Avoiding doing the same work twice or more times.
Also, by using systemd over a long period of time it is gonna be safer than
having lots of fragmented distributions.
Bugs and security vulnerabilities are easily found when there are more people
working towards improving the software.
As you said you don't trust systemd but I don't really see a reason not to.
