How on Earth can the United States call itself a free country?

[jaren12]

I am a Canadian, and I am very proud that my country is generally a free country. Sure, it's not perfect, but when I hear Americans rant on how much they live in a free country, I find it pretty ridiculous. The US is actually one of the least free countries in the world. Examples:

-The US is the only modern developed country that has mandatory vaccinations for school entry, even things completely unnecessary like the Hep B and chickenpox vaccines are often mandatory. In a free country people would be allowed to control what goes in their bodies. Most states do offer religious exemptions, but MS and WV do not. Even in countries without mandated vaccinations, epidemics do not occur.

-The US has the highest drinking age in the world and harshest underage drinking penalties. In a free country, people over the age of majority should be allowed to drink. Giving someone a criminal record for life simply for drinking and not driving is ridiculous. The only countries with harsher laws are Islamic ones. In countries with lower drinking ages (such as Canada, NZ, Australia, etc.), the catastrophic scenarios of teenage brain damage and increased car accidents do not occur. Canada actually has a lower rate of car crashes that the US.

-In Florida, Virginia, Mississippi and Michigan, unmarried cohabitation is a criminal offense. In Massachusetts, Minnesota, Utah and Idaho, premarital sex is a crime. While I do indeed oppose premarital sex on religious grounds, prosecuting adults and giving them lifetime criminal records for having sex or cohabiting is ridiculous.

-Many states don't allow expungement of criminal records, even minor offenses. This doesn't deter crime, but actually increases recidivism as prople have no chance of living a normal life again so they are condemned to a lifetime of crime.

-The US is only one of three modern democracies to not allow gays to serve in the military (others being Russia and Greece). As Barry Goldwater said, "you don't need to be straight to defend your country, you only need to shoot straight". (While I do indeed support the Federal Marriage Amendment to protect family values, serving in the military has nothing to do with family values.

-The US has the harshest drug laws in the non-Muslim world. In Nevada, possession of one joint is punished by 4 years in jail;, in Iowa, a single dose of LSD will result in a mandatory 7-year jail term. Even Sweden, which is known for havin strict drug laws, doesn't rival with these sentences In a free country, people shouldn't be sentenced to long jail terms for merely putting something in their bodies.

-The US has the highest incarceration rate in the world, even higher than China or Russia.

-In California, shoplifting may result in a mandatory 25-to-life sentence, which is higher that sentences fro rape or murder. No wonder why that state is going bankrupt.

-The US forces its citizens to participate in the oppressive, communist, ineffectiev Social Security program. People should be free to decide whether they want to continue working all their life or retire young. New Zealand and Japan have no such thing.

All of this occurs despite the fact that the US is the most democratic country in the world. Why? Because Americans actually hate freedom. Politicians like Barry Goldwater or Ron Paul, who value freedom, don't get elected, and Americans continue to vote more draconian laws.

When is the hypocrisy going to stop?

[wardell]

"All of this occurs despite the fact that the US is the most democratic country in the world. Why? Because Americans actually hate freedom. Politicians like Barry Goldwater or Ron Paul, who value freedom, don't get elected, and Americans continue to vote more draconian laws.

When is the hypocrisy going to stop?"

All good points my Canadian friend.

Americans continue to vote for the bribes they're offered in the form of giant social programs, tax incentives (raise or cut) or giant military programs. It's amazing that we haven't declared bankruptcy yet -- and with Obama in the office, there's no slowing of the Federal Government's reach and power...let alone the monetary burn rate.

There will be a shift in perception when people have to repay all of the debts owed -- especially after this Administration.

The irony here? You're more of an American than most Americans are -- you actually pay attention, know what you're talking about and are concerned about the future of the Country.

Keep fighting the good fight!!

[tredway]

I'm Canadian and i agree. It will never stop because the Americans think they can do what ever they want that they think is the best for the country.

[reid]

You need to realize something. Free does not equal lawless. We are more free than Canada because we stopped suckling the queens tit centuries ago.

[abelard29]

iam a latino livin in america and i can tell u i agree americans kind of treat meh diffent i was told to shut up becuz i was a ****...

[lorimar]

...

[cinnard]

I'm English. We rule.

[reuben29]

I agree with the above. We are English. We rock that way.

[jorel]

You may call it hypocrisy, but what I see is a land that offers so much hope to so many that they risk their lives, their families, their health, their futures, and their home to travel by makeshift rafts over painfully treacherous seas, by swollen feet through arid barren desert, and by starving aching body in shipping containers for the mere chance of maybe one day being able to call themselves Americans - and we open our arms to them.

Canada? You have great fishing and beautiful trees. Thank you.

[wardell]

It is hard for people who live in a society like Canada to understand that each state in the union has broad powers, and in many cases are semi autonomous from the federal government.

The last line in the next to last paragraph of your thesis discredits everything you wrote before that. Quoting you "and Americans continue to vote for more draconian laws." If the American people vote for this, is it not freedom?