America and freedom?

Question

Americans seem to love the concept of freedom as do many other countries but for them it's not brought up all the time.

For example the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden. All countries with a better track record on education, health care, freedom of speech and human rights.

My question is what is it that makes American freedom so unique and why do you have the opinion that you have?

I'm not knocking America and I realise a lot of people will probably just get instantly defensive as I've read a few of the other questions on here that are along similar lines.
I love the place but I don't understand the whole obssession with freedom thing it really is beyond my understanding.
Especially as I've been to America and I don't see anything that any of the other countries I've been to don't already have.

Your thoughts please.

Answer 1

Americans are brainwashed into believing they are free along with other things.....

Answer 2

Hello,

(ANS) I think your question also contains the seeds of the answer here, Yes! I think your right Americans and American politicians seem utterly obsessed with this very odd idea of "so called" freedom. I'm sorry! to say this but I think the notion of the land of the free is a total delusion frankly, and so is the so called American Dream!! Non of these things exist in reality, these are mythes, human constructs nothing more.

**What truly upsets me is the fact that America itself seems one of the least free, least fair, least equal countries in the world. OK! example I here you ask, why? is it that there remains so much bigotry and racism is the US even to this day. America has had literally decades to sort out its black and white problems yet its still a highly sensitive subject to this day.

**If people were truly free in the USA why do they feel the need to carry guns 24/7, 365 days of the year. The US has some of the highest gun related crime rates including murder in the world?

**Why? is it that if US democracy is so great that poor people in America have to have x3 or x4 different jobs just to make ends meet. Why? is it that in America people are left in the gutter to die if they don't have any medical insurance. Why? is it that the vast majority of people in the US cannot afford medical insurance (yes! all very democratic I'm sure).

**America, NOT everyone wants your kind of freedom or democracy!! I'm 100% certain Iraqi's don't want US style culture. No matter how badly the US/UK screwed the place up after Saddam Hussein.

**Please keep your freedom & democracy in your own country first and let others in other countries sort themselves out.

**Why? is it that the USA feels the need to export its trashy ideas around the world and then expects us to be grateful?

**The Americans seem to think they are the chosen people (gods chosen people? durr!!) and that they have some sort of divine mission to export their dumb ideas to the rest of the planet. No wonder were in such a mess!

Ivan

(I'm an atheist & so I don't believe in anyone being the chosen people, utter twaddle!!).

Answer 3

1) they are haters 2) our founding fathers lived through tyranny. They set up a system to protect us from it. 3) freedom and individuality spur inovation and growth. 4) it works, we became the most prosperous, generous country in the history of the world. Why haven't the countries living under communism or dictatorships done very well? Name one better off the USA? 5) do you like being told by someone that thinks they know what is best for you how you will live? 6) we don't have our government performing mass killings like Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot, Hussein... 7) no one can tell us what we can or cannot say 8) Anyone can achieve according to their effort. 9) life liberty and the pursuit of happiness 10) People flock here for what we are. Anyone that thinks the freedom is stupid if a fool. He who knows not and knows not that he knows not is a fool - shun him.

Answer 4

America is a country of immigrants; always has been, always will be. Most of our grandparents, parents, ancestors, etc. came from places where there was little or no freedom. The concept of America being the promised land is passed down through generations from immigrant family members to native born. My grandmother would talk of oppression and poverty in Ireland even though she had never been there. Her mother fled Ireland before my grandmother was born but she grew up hearing how America changed everyone's life. My mother's side is German and left during the Nazi rising. To them, America saved their lives; our family who stayed in Germany were all killed during WWII. Ask any American and they have family stories about oppressive living conditions, poverty, and political regimes in their ancestral countries. Freedom is so valued here because a large segment of our population, in the past and present, lived without it.

Answer 5

Americans are brainwashed from a young age to believe that they are especially free. Once this has been imprinted into a child, why would they then worry about it when they are older? You call that freedom? The worse thing is, their "special relationship" has ruined my country which has startrd copying their absurd ideas. However, we Brits are made of wiser stuff and we won't get fooled.

God bless America?!?

Answer 6

When I came to America I came from a country led by dictators and corruptionists. I felt the difference strongly about what it is to live in a free and not free country.
I guess, the stronger the contrast is the better you can tell the difference.

I now travel to other countries and I can assure you that America is the best country as you can get justice there no matter what.

Answer 7

In poverty there can be no freedom. Does America not have any poor? Here in the Uk as I'm sure it is over there, the poor have little freedom. Can I therefore ask both nations.... If freedom is of such value can you prove it by eradicating poverty? Then we will all be truly free. Just a thought!

Answer 8

America loves freedom - except for those in Guantanemo. They are 'obviously guilty and dangerous' therefor they can be held without trial indefintitely.

They also love to spread their freedom and democracy by dropping bombs from 30,000 feet. 25,000 inncoent men women and children were killed in the shock & awe campaign to spread freedom to Iraq. They then kid themselves that they are protecting us when Bush's actions has made the world far more dangerous.

They will claim that 9/11 started this, but it is America's foreign policy in the Middle East (particularly Palestine) that caused such an horrific act.

Answer 9

When freedom of speech allows the ability of words to condemn and further oppress the masses you have to question exactly what their perception of freedom is.

How is it they will allow the KKK to speak freely, yet anyone, even slightly, objecting to the harsh (quasi-dictatorship) rule of the government (which imprisons, bombs and oppresses innocent people) are considered traitors of the patriot state, and are punished for their views.

Answer 10

It is the land of opportunity, where a poor man can become rich!

I do love the US, but i have to say that lately, our government is trying to rule many of the freedoms that we have enjoyed for years. I just feel sorry for future generations. Pretty soon, you will need permission to go to the bathroom!!

Answer 11

America is a young country, that could have a lot to do with it. But I'd say the main reason is that we're raised to believe that our freedom is one of the most valuable things we have.

You know, the whole "Give me liberty or give me death!" routine. We're not just free, we're actively free, many times we exercise our freedoms for no other reason that to show we're free. To us, it's patriotism.