Yet another damn terrorist attack

[Lorizael]

Yes, there are limitations on American freedom of speech, but I think they are qualitatively different from such limitations in Europe. In Europe, certain speech (Holocaust stuff) is banned because Europe abhors a particular opinion. In the US, certain speech is banned if it's going to cause imminent lawless action. (If I'm wrong, and there is some speech the US has banned that basically represents an unpopular opinion, I'll go right ahead and criticize that, too.)

[Proteus_MST]

It's not absolute. Calls for violence and words that incite violence (such as yelling "FIRE" in a crowded theater) can be punished, but it has to be an imminent threat - like saying "Let's Kill X Right Now" while giving a speech a few blocks away from X is illegal. But saying something like "Someone should just kill X" while hanging out with some friends hundreds of miles from where X lives is not actionable.

So, if someone would (for example in the public speech) say that all jews should be gassed, this would go unpunished?
(because this sentence doesn´t imply that he wants all jews to be gassed right now)

[Bereta_Eder]

So, if someone would (for example in the public speech) say that all jews should be gassed, this would go unpunished?
(because this sentence doesn´t imply that he wants all jews to be gassed right now)

IMHO, that's exactly what is so controversial about satire. That it doesn't constitute a clear cut, expressed opinion but it goes into a grey ambgigious area, where I think most societal (religious/economic etc) tensions manifest.

[Imran Siddiqui]

So, if someone would (for example in the public speech) say that all jews should be gassed, this would go unpunished?
(because this sentence doesn´t imply that he wants all jews to be gassed right now)

I don't see why they would be punished. The US allows the KKK to march through majority Jewish neighborhoods, after all.

[Hauldren Collider]

IMO the US's biggest restriction on freedom of speech is campaign finance laws, which I think ought to be considered unconstitutional, but yes the US is at least an order of magnitude more liberal on speech freedom than any other country. And that's why I'll always roll my eyes when someone comes out with a report saying our press is somehow less free than say Sweden's.

[Elok]

It's worth remembering that we are the country that put an amendment into our constitution specifically to make armed revolution easier (2nd).

Debatable, from what I've read. The Jeffersonian/anti-Federalist/Democratic-Republican wing of the FF were real big on militias as the state's official armed forces. The part about their being essential for the liberty of a free people or whatever merely reflects their belief that standing armies were a menace. Kind of dumb even at the time; the constant loss of experienced troops every twelve damn months nearly lost us the Revolution. They were more scared of a powerful army on their own side than on the enemy's.

[Hauldren Collider]

Not entirely unreasonable when you look at places like Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Thailand, Burma etc where the military habitually comes in and changes things up.

[Proteus_MST]

Not entirely unreasonable when you look at places like Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Thailand, Burma etc where the military habitually comes in and changes things up.

But it would be very sad if one had to compare the USA with the places you mention, instead of comparing it with western democracies (like those in europe which, despite their rather strict weapon laws, don´t have a habit of entering the residences of their citizens without a search warrant or violating their rights in any other manner)

[regexcellent]

But it would be very sad if one had to compare the USA with the places you mention, instead of comparing it with western democracies (like those in europe which, despite their rather strict weapon laws, don´t have a habit of entering the residences of their citizens without a search warrant or violating their rights in any other manner)

The civilian government following due process is a completely separate issue to the one being discussed.

Besides which, it wasn't that long ago, perhaps 30-40 years when Europe was ruled largely by dictatorships which, incidentally, had universally stringent gun control. So you don't get a pass on that. In 1970 Eastern Europe, including part of Germany, as well as Spain, Portugal, and Greece were all ruled by single party regimes. Democracy was the exception.

[Hauldren Collider]

But it would be very sad if one had to compare the USA with the places you mention, instead of comparing it with western democracies (like those in europe which, despite their rather strict weapon laws, don´t have a habit of entering the residences of their citizens without a search warrant or violating their rights in any other manner)

At the time the US was founded, there were no Western European democracies. As reg says, as recently as a few decades ago, democracy was the exception rather than the norm in Europe. Portugal was a dictatorship. Spain was a dictatorship. Eastern Europe was communist. Greece was a dictatorship. And until relatively recently even the ones with elected legislatures had monarchs and nobility with significant residual power. Most of Europe does not have a long democratic tradition.

[Dauphin]

When did the UK become a democracy. Just curious as to your definition.

[Hauldren Collider]

When did the UK become a democracy. Just curious as to your definition.

I'm not prepared to count the UK as a democracy in the 1700s. Not a dictatorship either, but the king still had a lot of control, yes? Or at least the aristocracy.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Democracy was the exception.

You are overstating. Just as many democracies in Europe as Single Party Rule back during the dark years.

[regexcellent]

Considering calling the United States a democracy at that time is a bit fuzzy, I think that's probably a claim you should walk back.

You are overstating. Just as many democracies in Europe as Single Party Rule.

Britain, Ireland, Belgium, Netherlands, West Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy, Scandinavia, Finland. On a population basis I guess it depends whether you count the former Soviet Union. Exception is too strong a word though, yes.

[dannubis]

Kucibros showing they are dumb ****s