Why do so many Americans on YA say that Americans have more freedom in their country than anywhere?

Western Europeans have the same amount of freedom as Americans.

In fact, it was originally in Europe where the concept of democracy was created and thought of before the US came into the picture.

In fact, the US got some of their democratic principles from England.

The idea of freedom was presented when the civil war took place in America. I wouldn't necessarily say that we have more freedom now than other countries. America was initially announced the freedom country because of the wars and fights for the rights of women and people of color (African-American, Hispanic, Indians, etc.). There are still countries that have a hold of the communities and don't allow all rights to be observed. For instance in one country they have to have a quite time (no music, no t.v., no yelling, etc.) it has to be absolutely quiet (don't remember which country, I was told about it.). In Japan or China they use to (not sure if they still do) decide how many children you had and of what sex. They use (not sure if they still do) make women wear shoes smaller than their actual feet size to keep their feet small. You can probably look up the history of any country and decide from there what makes America more free than other countries. Like I said, I don't really think that is so much true in the 21st Century as it was in the 20th Century... Hope this helps!

it's a held-over sentiment from past generations. you're right; alot of european countries have many 'freedoms' that the americans have now, but it wasn't always like that.

today, one could argue for either side, though.

firefoxy has a good point, but in the way freedoms 'trickle down' to the individual, there really isn't that much difference. (the gun thing is a BIG difference, though)

(america really IS a hell of a cool place to live, though. i'll say that. :) i LOVE being in the united states...especially near new york. it's a HELL of a life.)

I agree with this. We have just the same freedoms that they have.

They always say "Oh but we have freedom to be who we want to be, to worship as we please, freedom of speech etc" but we have all these freedoms too!! Do they think we are all still living under Divine Right of Kings in a Medieval Feudal Society or something?!?!?

The only thing I can think is that they are taught about how the Founding Fathers of America left Europe hundreds of years ago when these freedom *weren't* available to all those in Europe. They neglect to tell them that things in Europe have changed greatly since then.

dkgrose - yes we have the freedom to say what we want too! What do you think the UK is, a dictatorship or something?!

"_" (I notice you're too gutless you name yourself)

At least we have the RIGHT to Healthcare and are not left to die of our illnesses because can't afford to "pay" the doctors to care for us!!! "Poor" healthcare is better than no healthcare which is what millions of poorer Americans have! And yes I do "enjoy" having the NHS immensely. I thank God for it! The care I have always received on the NHS has always been exemplary and never "poor". . .

As for the "Right" to have a gun - why is that such a good thing? Yes lets all keep guns in our houses just in "case" the King of England tries to invade us or we need to rebel against the Government (or more likely the guns fall into the wrong hands and are misused to kill our loved ones or massacre a classroom full of schoolkids . . .)

If they have got so much freedom how come only last week i saw a bunch of boot camp guards beating a 14 year old black kid to death.

All found not guilty of course by an all white jury.......

Hang on a minute, that rings a bell..........

And you're not allowed to play poker on the internet. Call that freedom. At least if I want to go 'all in' online I can...

Freedom of Opinion?

I know one freedom that America has'nt got that Europe has....

We have employment protection rights protecting the GLBT community.

Currently the American government are discussing the ENDA bill....most of which has been watered down to exclude rights which have been enjoyed for many years in many if not all of the European union member states.

Failure to pass this bill fully will mean transexual people are at risk of loosing major employment rights....including the right to keep their employment after gender re-assignment.

This is something we in the UK don't fear.

The short and sad answer is that a frighteningly large proportion of them are brazenly brainwashed and deluded by a right wing media with an agenda for manipulating Americans into benign submission to their president. Most of them know next to nothing about what happens in the next state, let alone other countries, so they are unlikely to be in a position to make such judgements.

The fact is that they have been fed a load of nonsense by the American mass media about how Muslim terrorists hate them for the freedoms they enjoy. In fact, most Muslims who have taken up arms against America don't hate Americans at all, but hate American foreign policy in the Middle East, particularly its blind support for Israel in its continued occupation of Palestinian lands.

The irony is that the Cheney administration has been using all this bullshite as an excuse for eroding American freedom and liberty in the misguided pursuit of "national security". The many Young Americans who I have worked with when they travel to Europe to study are usually wide-eyed and gob-smacked by the freedom that European kids enjoy in comparison to kids growing up in the States.

The USA is becoming more and more of a totalitarian regime and it is sad to see Americans ignorantly banging on about their so-called freedom when their constitution is being ripped up under their noses.

Americans are BRAINWASHED. And how do you brainwash a very ignorant nation? EASILY! Americans think they are free because they are told to believe so AND they are "allowed" to say whatever they like TILL someone listens or if it has any effect. There is little freedom in the US. You are FREE to believe in WHAT YOU ARE TOLD to believe in. The sudden deaths of "radicals" is no coincidence. In somce countries they kill you and tell you why but in the US you die by a disease or accident....sort of like how the communists do it.

actually I think Americans are less free than people in many other countries.. we're not allowed to say anything that's politically incorrect.. we can't make any negative comments about women, minorities, or homosexuals or we get labeled as a bigot and slapped with a lawsuit.. we aren't free to share music or movies on the computer.. people in other countries are free to do this, but not in America! we get busted for it over here.. we aren't free to go to other countries to get prescription medicine.. we have to pay the American medicine companies overly high prices or we don't get medicine.. so you're right.. America is not as free as people think..