"the rest of the world doesn't have free speech" Wow! Only Americans have Free Speech(TM)! </sarcasm> you seem to be using the UK's Hate Speech Laws to prove

"the rest of the world doesn't have free speech" Wow! Only Americans have Free Speech(TM)! </sarcasm> you seem to be using the UK's Hate Speech Laws to prove that the UK doesn't have "free speech". Every country that allows "free speech" sets limits. For example, in the United States, "There are exceptions to the general protection of speech, however, including the Miller test for obscenity, child pornography laws, and regulation of commercial speech such as advertising. Other limitations on free speech often balance rights to free speech and other rights, such as property rights for authors and inventors (copyright), interests in "fair" political campaigns (Campaign finance laws), protection from imminent or potential violence against particular persons (restrictions on Hate speech or fighting words), or the use of untruths to harm others (slander). Distinctions are often made between speech and other acts which may have symbolic significance" reference:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_speech_in_the_United_States http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_speech_in_the_United... so, a definition of "free speech" has to be looser than "anyone can say anything he wants in any context with full impunity". No country in the world, including the United States, makes such an absolute guarantee. Most democracies (the real ones, not sham ones like in Iran) have "free speech" with boundaries depending on local culture and history.