Why are people from the US so obsessed with freedom?

Question

You all act like the United States is the only country in the world where people are free, and that your freedom is under some kind of grave threat so you need to defend your freedom at all costs. I just don't understand it. People in all other developed and democratic countries are free, so what's the big deal with freedom in America?

I'm from the UK (half of you have probably stopped reading now) and my country came very close to actually losing its freedom in 1940 (yes thanks America for helping with that, etc, etc...), but my point is that despite almost losing it, people in the UK don't bang on about freedom all the time, we just get on with it.

If someone asks a question like "what do you like about America", half the answers will say "freedom". Can someone explain to me what the big deal is? Freedom is great but you're all going a bit over the top.

zen2bop - Yes it is a question, I am asking why do people talk about freedom so much in America and if you'd read my question you would know where I live.

candy g - You should have been here during the world cup, you couldn't escape St. Georges flags.

geek49203 - Thanks for the history lesson but did you have an answer to my question?

Answer 1

Don't tell them this but they're living in a fascist society where the leader condones torture. That's why they're strung up on the freedom.

Answer 2

It's kind of hard to explain. I suspect that when many Americans say "freedom" the word has a whole history and connotation behind it that is different from your connotation.

Here in the U.S. we have a secular "religion." If you want, you can say secular belief system. Beginning in primary school, Americans pledge allegiance to our flag, learn many patriotic songs, learn all about the plucky people who settled our land, about the Pilgrims who came for religious freedom, about Paul Revere and George Washington and Besty Ross.

As adults we participate in the observance of the Fourth of July. Other holidays include Labor Day, Memorial Day, President’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and Veteran’s Day. All these holidays we show patriotic colors and talk about freedoms.

We have icons such as the Statue of Liberty, Uncle Sam, and the White House. The notion of freedom is all wrapped up in this system and the word comes with a lot of history behind it. You cannot separate the notion of freedom from the nature of being American.

It’s as if I asked you to tell me why you liked being British and you answered with one or two words that you felt summed up your nation.


Some Americans, unfortunately, as so wrapped up in the flag and out of touch with what goes on in the rest of the world that they are unable to separate blind faith in our belief system with contravening facts. I blame the American national news, which has decided that Americans are too dumb to take an interest in other countries and has shown less and less meaningful international news. Also, you must understand how large the United States is. If you wanted to drive from the northern part of Scotland to the southernmost tip of England you could probably do it in less than two days. It would take me 4-5 days to cross the country from east to west. This means that most Americans do not travel to other nations on a regular basis and our nearest neighbors are Americans as well. I remember visiting Europe and driving through three countries in half a day.

All this means is that Americans don’t know about the rest of the world as much as we should and it makes our world view seem very simplistic.

On the other hand, some of my fellow citizens would argue that the U.K. is less free than the U.S. because of the more restrictive gun laws, the requirement that the press have licenses, and the lack of a written Constitution, etc.

Our freedoms are very important to us. We cherish them. And they ARE under attack. Mostly from people who are trying to scare us into giving up our Constitutional rights, but also sometimes from extraneous sources as well.

Answer 3

it is an essential part of being an american. it is the thing that seperates us from europeans. many of our ancestors came over here because they didn't like the monarchs of whatever country they came from. they didn't want to have to depend on government or have to ask the permission of the government every time they wanted to do something. they knew that governments get tyrannical if they are not kept in check by the people. those left behind in europe were the other way around. they believed in a government that is set above the people and makes the rules. even in france after 2 revolutions it is that way.

freedom is being able to petition the government and require them to produce results
freedom is when i can carry my pocket knife clipped to my belt and not get arested.
freedom is keeping firearms in your home without needing a special permit
freedom is when the government has to follow the same laws that the people do.
freedom is not being searchd by the police on a routine basis
free people do not bow to anyone.
free people are born equals. nobody is given special status just because they are born that way.

unfortunately, the US s not exactly a free society. it is a police state. the people who are fanatics about freedom are most likely either a)dissatisfied with the police state. b) repeating US media bullshit about "protecting freedom" (locking it away in a box so nobody can get to it)

Answer 4

People want / value what they dont have. Americans value freedom because they have so little of it. America has more people in prison than any other developed country. Americans are slaves to financial debt like you wouldnt believe. Many Americans dont even have the freedom to paint their mailbox whatever color they want or put a vase in their window because they gave away their freedom to their home owner's association. Even many of the freedoms Americans had just 6 years ago are gone. Free speech has been replaced by free speech "zones". The freedom to enjoy privacy and not be wiretapped by the government without a warrent is gone. Etc..

Answer 5

What's wrong with being obsessed with freedom? People in the US like being free, and when you like something, you like to talk about it and share it. I personally like to play dnd and do medieval reenactment, and I like to talk about it with other people.
I don't think very many people here would deny that other countries, particularly in Europe, have just as many freedoms; but on the other hand, there are many countries in the world that don't. You might just as well ask, what's the deal with the Royal Family? I mean, seriously, who outside the UK gives a damn? But people go on about it all the time. People talk about what they like and what makes them happy. If it is different from what you like...well, try to have a little tolerance. And if you can't do that, just ignore it. We both have freedom of speech and the right to exercise it.

Answer 6

It is EXACTLY your country that we point to when we "bang" about freedom.

In 1938, your Prime Minister went to Germany, and told Hitler that if Germany didn't attack anything else, that the UK wouldn't care if Hitler took over Austria and the Sudentanland. Well, as it turned out, Hitler kept on going, and before anyone knew what was happenening, the UK was in the situation you describe in 1940.

We learned (as did your elders in the UK) that if one person is enslaved, then it's only a matter of time before someone tries to enslave YOU and ME.

In addition...

Democracies don't attack each other. Dictatorships attack their neighbors. If you want ot live in peace, establish a democracy in that country.

Each generation has to learn the hard way the price... and value... of freedom. Someday you'll learn too.

Answer 7

I agree with your point there. But sadly they think they the only nation on earth that is free. They also think if a country has a Monarch they not free. They must be watching or reading to many old books. They can't grasp that other nations beside them have free democracy. Sadly they haven't a clue what goes on outside the USA. This is because they are very inward nation.
Me me culture.

Answer 8

Our govt. makes "freedom" a huge topic. Every year, they take something away and try to tell us it's for our freedom. Well, we are losing our freedom because we have given our government so much power. It's supposed to be "we the people", but in actuality, it's "they are representing the people" whether we like it or not. Our govt. and media want americans to believe we are free and we have to fight for it. It's just a shame how stupid we really are. We allow them to control us and tell us what to do.

Answer 9

Perhaps because we were born to freedom in the U.S. and now we're losing it. We're uneasy and don't know how to change things. And it seems each day it gets worse. Just read The Washington Post or New York Times online.

Answer 10

but dont they go over the top with EVERYTHING..............

BUT as a Brit living here........you know what I really envy, the fact that they are ALLOWED to fly their flag outside their house / work place / business etc etc.................every bank / federal building etc.............. you tell me the LAST time you saw the union jack flying any place............ they [the USA] DO have country / civic pride and that's really nice to see, when god forbid we should upset any of the little special minorities we have in the UK and get them all upset by flying the union jack........at least the USA still tells them to shove it up their butt.......my country fly what flag I want type of thing so maybe the Brits should learn a bit from them on some levels

Answer 11

Little one.
Do you know what is the Liberation of Freedom back in world war two?
Do you know who is getting themselves into trouble with our creator out there on planet earth.
Did you learn the lesson of the Asian Tsunami and see who is doing the talking on planet earth.
With question on who is the Landlord and who is the stranger who just came and passing by being overlook on planet earth.
Do you know who get themselves kick on the butts by our creator for not learning what world war two was all about on planet earth.