4 ms·

Ok, in the developed world. And it really isn't. The US might be the worlds richest Country but in many areas, it's like a developing nation.

philwelch 8y ago
> The US might be the worlds richest Country but in many areas, it's like a developing nation. Primarily in that it's still developing rather than stagnating. > Ok, in the developed world. And it really isn't [a ridiculous overgeneralization that "the US is lacking behind the world in legal and human rights"]. Conveniently enough, I already have a list of counterexamples for Europe in particular: * The United States also recognizes a constitutional right to same-sex marriage, which is not at all recognized in Italy, Greece, Czechia, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Switzerland, and Northern Ireland. * In terms of civil liberties, the US is virtually unique in recognizing an absolute right against self-incrimination and an exclusionary rule of evidence, where evidence collected in contravention of anyone's civil rights is admissible in court. * One of the biggest controversies in recent American politics is whether to overturn the constitutional standard of jus soli birthright citizenship--the notion that any human being born on American soil is unconditionally an American citizen. No European country has this policy at all, let alone enshrined in a written constitution. * The US does not have mandatory military service. However, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Norway, and Switzerland all do. * Unlike many European countries, the US has a virtually complete lack of media censorship by the government. * Austria, France, Belgium, Germany, and Bulgaria have all outlawed face coverings, while Switzerland has banned the construction of minarets. France prohibits the wearing or display of "conspicuous religious symbols" in schools, a law targeted at hijab-wearing Muslims. The United States has no equivalent laws, and any such laws would almost certainly be ruled unconstitutional. If you're bringing in "the developed world", that might include countries with absolutely terrible human rights records like Qatar or UAE, as well as other undemocratic states like Singapore.

philwelch 8y ago

> The US might be the worlds richest Country but in many areas, it's like a developing nation. Primarily in that it's still developing rather than stagnating. > Ok, in the developed world. And it really isn't [a ridiculous overgeneralization that "the US is lacking behind the world in legal and human rights"]. Conveniently enough, I already have a list of counterexamples for Europe in particular: * The United States also recognizes a constitutional right to same-sex marriage, which is not at all recognized in Italy, Greece, Czechia, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Switzerland, and Northern Ireland. * In terms of civil liberties, the US is virtually unique in recognizing an absolute right against self-incrimination and an exclusionary rule of evidence, where evidence collected in contravention of anyone's civil rights is admissible in court. * One of the biggest controversies in recent American politics is whether to overturn the constitutional standard of jus soli birthright citizenship--the notion that any human being born on American soil is unconditionally an American citizen. No European country has this policy at all, let alone enshrined in a written constitution. * The US does not have mandatory military service. However, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Norway, and Switzerland all do. * Unlike many European countries, the US has a virtually complete lack of media censorship by the government. * Austria, France, Belgium, Germany, and Bulgaria have all outlawed face coverings, while Switzerland has banned the construction of minarets. France prohibits the wearing or display of "conspicuous religious symbols" in schools, a law targeted at hijab-wearing Muslims. The United States has no equivalent laws, and any such laws would almost certainly be ruled unconstitutional. If you're bringing in "the developed world", that might include countries with absolutely terrible human rights records like Qatar or UAE, as well as other undemocratic states like Singapore.