Why do Americans refer to their country as "free"?

[Donald Polish]

Is it really true?
It really insults me when I see Americans talking about how free our country is. The fact is that most countries in Europe have much more freedom, but I don't see any Europeans talking about freedom so much.

 

[Liminal]

Is it really true?
It really insults me when I see Americans talking about how free our country is. The fact is that most countries in Europe have much more freedom, but I don't see any Europeans talking about freedom so much.

Feel free to elaborate on how exactly European nations have more freedom.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

I agree and have been asking myself this same question for years. There was a time when there was less government intrusion in the lives of Americans compared to the rest of the world and in those days I think it was legitimate to claim this nation as a shining beacon of freedom (although I would caution folks to remember that not all Americans were granted those freedoms). Gradually over time our freedom has been eroded, but each generation still touts the ole "Land of the Free" meme to the next and so each new generation grows up thinking that all these added restrictions on our daily lives is still what it means to live "free."

While we certainly still enjoy more freedom than most of the world, I would definitely dispute the idea these days that we are the freest country in the world. I have traveled outside this nation multiple times and I have seen other people in certain aspects of life enjoy more freedoms than your average American and in other aspects, less.

 

[eots]

If you think your free ...then there is no escape

 

[Pedro de San Patricio]

Is it really true?
It really insults me when I see Americans talking about how free our country is. The fact is that most countries in Europe have much more freedom, but I don't see any Europeans talking about freedom so much.

It insults you that our country is free? Seriously?

 

[Unkotare]

Why do dimwitted trolls keep bothering with such obvious troll threads?

 

[blackhawk]

You have the freedom to be insulted by Americans talking about freedom I have the freedom not to give a dam and I don't.

 

[PaintMyHouse]

Is it really true?
It really insults me when I see Americans talking about how free our country is. The fact is that most countries in Europe have much more freedom, but I don't see any Europeans talking about freedom so much.

Feel free to elaborate on how exactly European nations have more freedom.

Yeah, I'd like to hear that one myself.

 

[Borillar]

Is it really true?
It really insults me when I see Americans talking about how free our country is. The fact is that most countries in Europe have much more freedom, but I don't see any Europeans talking about freedom so much.

Well, I don't know how free we are with respect to other countries, but we always have some good sales going on.

 

[rdean]

We only need to throw off the twin yokes of mindless conservatism and ignorance. Then we can be "free". Want examples?

 

[eots]

 

[Kondor3]

We only need to throw off...mindless conservatism...

No way.

It's the only thing standing between The People and Mindless Liberal-Progressive-ism, which is just as toxic, in its own right.

 

[hipeter924]

Freedom is relative to the individual's point of view, but America is certainly not any more 'free' than other western countries.

 

[eots]

 

[Flash]

We were free until the the despicable Liberals put together a filthy coalition of all the greedy people in the country and took control of the government.

Now we are no better than any European socialist shithole, in fact worse.

 

[Teddy Pollins]

A lot of Americans have a negative conception of liberty. Thus, they consider the right not to have health care, for example, to be freedom. On the other hand, people with a positive conception of liberty would think that the freedom from potential bankruptcy in the face of a sudden illness is more important. In short, a lot of Americans see freedom as a lack of government while a lot of other people see freedom as the presence of the ability to achieve one's potential.

 

[SuperDemocrat]

Is it really true?
It really insults me when I see Americans talking about how free our country is. The fact is that most countries in Europe have much more freedom, but I don't see any Europeans talking about freedom so much.

Nice communist imagery. This country ain't free because Obamacare doesn't cover home, education, food, and just about everything else.

 

[NYcarbineer]

We were free until the the despicable Liberals put together a filthy coalition of all the greedy people in the country and took control of the government.

Now we are no better than any European socialist shithole, in fact worse.

What do you personally want freedom from?

 

[Flash]

A lot of Americans have a negative conception of liberty. Thus, they consider the right not to have health care, for example, to be freedom. On the other hand, people with a positive conception of liberty would think that the freedom from potential bankruptcy in the face of a sudden illness is more important. In short, a lot of Americans see freedom as a lack of government while a lot of other people see freedom as the presence of the ability to achieve one's potential.

You are correct in that some of us think we are free if the filthy ass government doesn't make us pay for other people's health care bills. We take responsibility for our own health care and expect otherd to do the same.

Others think that they are entitled to have somebody pay their bills for them and uses the government to get the money for them. We call that greed.

To be be really free we need a much strong and irrevocable bill of rights that prevents the filthy government from taking money from the people that earn it and give it to the ones that don't earn the money. You know, no more using the government for thievery.

 

[Flash]

[

What do you personally want freedom from?

Big bloated out of control government that is run by filthy ass bureaucrats elected by special interest groups like the unions and welfare queens.

I don't mind a necessary and efficient minimal government that provides for defense, courts, police and a few other necessities but I don't want a government that tries to control my life like we have now. A government that takes my money by force and gives it away to the shitheads that provided the plurality to elect the scumbags that takes the money. A government that has millions of regulations.

I want the government to leave me alone to either succeed or fail. That is called freedom in case you are confused about the concept.