4 ms·

Germany and France don't have free speech. If there's speech that you receive legal action for then it isn't free.

krapp 6y ago
Well... then free speech doesn't exist anywhere, because notwithstanding laws against libel, slander, false advertising, perjury etc, there's really no place in the world which doesn't have some form of societal taboos, standards of politeness and courtesy, or notions of acceptable behavior which will lead to consequences if transgressed. Edit: I see you changed "If there's speech that you receive consequences for then it isn't free" to "If there's speech that you receive legal action for then it isn't free." I'm assuming you were just trying to disambiguate, but even by that more narrow definition freedom of speech is practically nonexistent.
- Wowfunhappy 6y ago
  (I don't actually think the GP's edit changed your argument at all. Libel, slander, false advertising, and purjury all come with legal consequences.)
Barrin92 6y ago
Weird because I'm German and I wasn't aware that I'm living in North Korea. Did the US patent the definition of free speech or something? I don't even know how people can say this stuff with a straight face. It's like saying "the US does not have healthcare" because of policy differences.
- deepbreath 6y ago
  > I don't even know how people can say this stuff with a straight face. It's not too difficult to do so, when there are examples of courts banning satirical poems of a foreign leader from being uttered: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38934027 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38934027 Would something like this ever happen in the US? Could you provide an example?
- PoignardAzur 6y ago
  > Weird because I'm German and I wasn't aware that I'm living in North Korea. Did the US patent the definition of free speech or something? Oh my god, I'm so stealing that one. I've heard the "USA is the only country with freedom" argument way too many times.

Well... then free speech doesn't exist anywhere, because notwithstanding laws against libel, slander, false advertising, perjury etc, there's really no place in the world which doesn't have some form of societal taboos, standards of politeness and courtesy, or notions of acceptable behavior which will lead to consequences if transgressed. Edit: I see you changed "If there's speech that you receive consequences for then it isn't free" to "If there's speech that you receive legal action for then it isn't free." I'm assuming you were just trying to disambiguate, but even by that more narrow definition freedom of speech is practically nonexistent.

Wowfunhappy 6y ago
(I don't actually think the GP's edit changed your argument at all. Libel, slander, false advertising, and purjury all come with legal consequences.)

Barrin92 6y ago

Weird because I'm German and I wasn't aware that I'm living in North Korea. Did the US patent the definition of free speech or something? I don't even know how people can say this stuff with a straight face. It's like saying "the US does not have healthcare" because of policy differences.

deepbreath 6y ago
> I don't even know how people can say this stuff with a straight face. It's not too difficult to do so, when there are examples of courts banning satirical poems of a foreign leader from being uttered: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38934027 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38934027 Would something like this ever happen in the US? Could you provide an example?
PoignardAzur 6y ago
> Weird because I'm German and I wasn't aware that I'm living in North Korea. Did the US patent the definition of free speech or something? Oh my god, I'm so stealing that one. I've heard the "USA is the only country with freedom" argument way too many times.