Does the U.S. grant more personal freedoms than other nations?

Question

If so, is that justification for restricting or reducing those freedoms?

It's interesting to me that some people assume that my question was biased one way or the other. I phrased it the way I did specifically to illicit YOUR opinions, not to sway you one way or the other.

Answer 1

The US is one of the only countries in the world (possibly the only major one) where freedom of speech is rigorously enforced - that is, you cannot be punished for expressing *anything*, including things like Nazi propaganda that most people would be offended by.

Answer 2

People have tried to rate freedom in countries throughout the world. This rating system is libertarian and thus weighs economic freedoms heavily, but is interesting.

http://www.stateofworldliberty.org/report/rankings.html

Another take is freedomhouse, a more left leaning site, has a country by country breakdown of most countries.

http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=15&year=2006

While countries have different degrees of personal freedoms all over the world, the one thing that all of the freest countries have in common is that they are all in the west.

Answer 3

As a general statement.....the simple answer is.....yes.

A better way to look at personal freedoms is whether the opportunity exists to be free of censorship and/or intimidation. Our country was founded on freedom of speech, religion, assembly and opportunity. Over the past 250 years we have faced our errors and made decent, if belated, efforts to include women, minorities and those of 'lesser means' in our experiment in freedom & democracy.

There are many nations which allow freedom of thought and individual actions........but there are few that have made liberty such a cornerstone of their existence.

This having been said.....we must guard against allowing our government to diminish these hard won freedoms. We have the right to demand that our right to free speech and assembly remain free, our personal lives remain private and our communications, newpapers, media and internet remain open to all.

Wiretaps are only legal with a legitimate court order and all suspects should be considered innocent until proven guilty.... with the rights of habeus corpus protected as if it were the air we all breathe and the water we all drink.


Freedom is not free....we must study, participate and vote to maintain our individual liberties.

And, remembering the golden rule would do us all good. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" covers your family, friends, strangers, those less fortunate and other people in other lands.

Life is very short....everyone should remember those who gave us our freedoms and pass along the torch of liberty to light the path of all who follow in our footsteps.

Answer 4

Yes. to the common man, the US has many more freedoms. We have two types of freedoms. One is legal freedoms (to vote, to drive cars, to fish and hunt) and we have God given freedoms (see the Bill of rights).

However, in other countries some people have more freedoms than we do because of corruption. Money in other countries can buy freedoms that we can only dream of.

The second part of your question is difficult to answer because you don't provide any examples. What freedoms are you talking about and who is denying those freedoms.

Some limitations of freedoms are necessary for the public good (you now, you can't holler "fire" in a theater). If you provide more specifics you'd get better responses.

Signed here by a retired US Air Force Guy who is now a Teacher.

Answer 5

there are many places that are less restrictive than the US ..freedom is hard to define for alot of people ... when it comes to our country and the principles it was founded on its "liberty" ... liberty is being able to go somewher without restriction ... if u need 15 licenses and pay fees and tolls and have armed guards watching u and corralling u into certain areas u are not free ... if the police are ready to beat down ur door in full military dress at the drop of a hat u are not free ... america is losing it ... thats my opinion ...

Answer 6

In over 20 years in the Navy, I was able to go to over 30 countries (stationed in 3) and there is no where else in the world that has the freedoms and opportunities we have in the United States of America.
Signed: A proud US Navy (retired) American

Answer 7

It would be, but your premise is flawed.

Go back and rethink your question. Specifically, consider the definition of the word "grant," especially in light of the Founders' notion that our rights are "inalienable" and that we are "endowed by the Creator" with these rights.

Love Jack

Answer 8

is that seriously a question? people take for granted the freedom they recieve from the gov't...

***Africa***
northern part (ie egypt) = extremists, bad

Native (native tribes from before british invasion many years ago) = tribes, very dangerous genocide/racial cleansing between several different tribes, unmercifull

southern part (ie congo) = british/french/spanish collonies becoming increasingly influenced by radical islamofacists/terrorists

***Asia***
china = communist country lead by military leaders who dont represent the population

s. korea = dont lock doors, no such thing as stealing, very punishing punishment for crimes, very low crime rate, more social communism, more government capitalism if that makes sense

n. korea = insecure, radical dictator, communist

russia = communist

taiwan = child prostetution, great economy, less freedoms

india = radical insurgencies taking over

rest = radical/communist

***Middle East***
Israel = capitalist, hero's, great defenders, pride, unfortunately violent because of terrorist attacks from palestinians/iranians

rest = mayhem of radical islamofacists

***Europe***
denmark, czech, norway, austria = small capitalist safe countries

germany = same as USA, less hate, less fear, less seperation, therefore some freedoms greater in some areas, but we make up for it in our other freedoms like the freedom to bear arms..

france, spain = small terrorist organizations here and there, local groups of violent extremists in some parts, others safe + peaceful

england = our 2nd half, more individual freedom (in sense of choosing your profession and your education) growing number of British terrorists and growing numbers of prominant terrorist organizations in London

Greece - bombings all over greece, radicals in the streets cannot be controlled..

***South America***
brazil, argentina, etc. = violent, high crime rates, violent governments, stay to themselves, athletic, gangs, child prostetution

Mexico - .. mexico

***North America***
canada - gov't ruled by minorities, very diverse community, more liberal

america - look around, a++

Answer 9

in many country's you have much more personal freedom than in America , there may or may not be more or less opportunities , but, America is more interested in fining you or collecting some more of your hard earned money so they pass rules. laws etc so they can legally rob you ,so when you say America land of freedom, exactly whos freedom??? it sure is not mine nor yours,

Answer 10

yes, we have The Bill Of Rights