Can You Really Handle a Free Range Child??

If one were to classify the dilemma of the "over-scheduled child" into an appropriate category, it would most certainly be: "white rich people problems", subcategory: "East Coast". 
If you look at the over-caffeinated types that wax and wane about their 'stress' and 'busy, busy lives'--it is really code for: "truthfully, we just think we are better than you."
And then some overzealous New York Times columnist (who has apparently never left Westchester), will catch this faux "complaint" and write some opinion piece about "stressed out, over-scheduled lives" and those children--they never get to just play --because they are so very busy attending dastardly supervised activities all day! After that, The Atlantic will post a piece on the importance of letting your children play in fake junk yards, because after all, dirty mattresses foster creativity.

Nobody sees the bizarre irony here. Always acting like powerful poltergeists have possessed society into buying McMansions, going crazy with stress, and signing their kids up for 101 activities. It couldn't possibly be a choice now, could it?
 I digress, but let me tell you--there are in fact many, many children out there--who are still left unattended and unscheduled.
And of course, I happen to have fallen ass backwards into this type of neighborhood. 
I honestly didn't have a strong opinion one way or another on this whole "free range kids" matter. So luckily, when I learned that most families on my street practiced an "outdoor time--no screen time" rule --I let my child roll with it. He easily transitioned from being a helicopter parented child, to one that disappeared down the block.
Yet, having now experienced what a loose child means, begs the question: could all these nostalgia junkies, that romanticize having 'unscheduled' children 'playing freely in the woods' really handle it?
Case in point--last week. 
My child goes outside to join in the fun--kids hooting and causing a general commotion somewhere down the street.
Later in the evening, said free range child returns home --covered in some sort of tribal markings. 
Curious parent (me) asks: "So what are those markings on your face"?
Answer: "Warrior marks". 
Ok. "Where did you get the paint?" 
Reluctantly answers: "It's dirt from tires, it makes good face paint".
Hmmmm. Parent: "What exactly is this warrior game?"
Answer: "Well we all have some sticks and swords and there is a king and warriors, and we need to protect our kingdom". 
"From whom?" 
Reply: "Well the high school track team keeps knocking over our basketball net". (as they run on the street for practice).
"So we hid in the bushes and ambushed them, we threw our spears".
Parent: "Threw spears?"
Answer: "Yeah --we threw sticks and swords at them".
There you have it--give the 'free range' kids points for creativity, not so much for hygiene (tire dirt on face) and of course (as to be expected) escalation into violence. And me having to give the old: "someone is going to lose an eye lecture". Do the advocates of free range play, really think that left to their own devices, children will be quietly playing "tea party?"