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I don't think it's a joke at all. Americans may be overzealous in claiming to be number one in many things, but when it comes to free speech they are 100 % right.


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It's sad, but many, many Americans truly believe that.

My opinion is that pretty much any other Western country gets free speech more right than America.


> not really. it's freedom of expression, but with major caveats:

So... just like in the US ?

> In the United States, freedom of speech is protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, and by precedents set in various legal cases. There are several common-law exceptions, including obscenity, defamation, incitement to riot or imminent lawless action,fighting words, fraud, speech covered by copyright, and speech integral to criminal conduct

Americans and their "muh freedom of speech" comments are the funniest thing ever, yours isn't absolute, like everywhere else, it's been proven times and times over


That’s because United States of America is the only country in the world that understands free speech.

I'm with you. America is far from perfect in so many ways, but the freedom of speech is one of the most heavily defended rights here.

The US does value freedom of speech greater than pretty much every other country on the planet.

Just because it’s not absolute doesn’t mean it’s not true.


Not to mention that the American view of free speech also is not absolute. They just define theirs as the "most free". It's just hypocrisy.

From an American perspective they certainly are, but I realize we're the odd ones out here with extremely strong 1st amendment protections.

Mmm, yes. America is the only country that has true freedom of speech.

I suppose that's why a silly Canadian like me wouldn't know much about other countries. We just don't have free speech.


I don't think it is that controversial in the US. There is a small, vocal minority that is against free speech but the overwhelming majority of Americans do not see things that way.

I would argue that is wrong. We have free speech over in europe too and not because the US forced it on us, but it also is something we generally value. We just dont run around claiming its the most amazing thing ever.

I mean the first comment literally said "America is the only country with such views" so yes, that makes them special by definition? Or are you saying that the way America sees free speech is common, which would contradict the earlier claim that it isn't

Try saying those things in America and you’ll find out how free speech is here pretty quickly.

I think, clearly, the larger issue here is the false idea that the USA is a proponent of free speech or human rights.

I would certainly never in a million years hope anyone would seriously claim the US to be the greatest country in the world.


Most of the rest of the world doesn't have a codified understanding of free speech. I think the US definition is as good as any.

No free speech is absolute. There are things you can say in the USA which also get you into trouble. That said, I will agree that more speech is free in the USA.

They did, but the court fees were high, and are high enough to dissuade people who aren’t billionaire talk show hosts from saying similar things. As I said, America is quite good at free speech. But it has its gaps, much like most other countries which would self identify as free speech countries. In the grand scheme, they really don’t matter.

No country in the world has absolute freedom of speech, and with good reason: speech can be harmful. Indeed it is precisely because speech can be powerful that it is protected in the first place.

Is this where to draw the line? I'm not sure, but it is not the case that absolutely any “joke” is costitutionally protected free speech.


The US is the only country with such weird views on free speech, there are many perfectly free (often with better freedom of speech/press scores actually) first world countries with different definition of free speech.

Even in America, free speech isn't absolute. Thanks for putting this on my radar.
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