Ash UK/US

Something that American pride themselves on is freedom, I hear/see it touted probably on a near daily basis. In the 14 years that I have lived here I have never felt anymore free than I did in the UK... then a friend (US friend) posted this video on Facebook the other day, it struck a cord with me.
https://youtu.be/VMqcLUqYqrs

london_calling

More freedom of speech and more gun rights, neither of which I value over UK standards.

scrubbedexpat091

I can't conpare to the UK, but US vs Canada only real difference is freedom of speech. Some of the things said in the US could get you arrested in Canada.

Other then that seems about the same.

Asg123

It depends on who you ask, it's freeer for some people than others. If you ask working-class people on the minimum wage, they often think of freedom in terms of how well they can live, and for them there's less freedom here than in countries like the UK.

Anian

I knew all the important legal rights and freedoms I had in the UK. With the US it varies by state, and even by city ordinance. I feel less free because I don't know where the line is.

dc koop

IMO freedom in the US is equal to that in the UK, Canada both of which I lived in at one time and I would also include Australia and New Zealand

livinginnyc

I've not lived here long enough to make a full comment.

I will say that my observations thus far are that its give & take. Some laws are more tightly regulated here than in the UK (e.g, alcohol) and vice versa (speed limits).

In terms of personal freedom - I've not noticed a difference between here and the UK

N1cky

Up until earlier this year I would have said I felt no difference. After my daughters run in with the police earlier this year though I would definitely say less. I can't imagine what happened here happening in the UK, and it's changed all our viewpoints on supposedly living in a 'free' country.

WEBlue

This is my feeling too. The two countries are "differently" free, not necessarily one more restrictive than the other ....

Many people I know in the UK (from any background, both British & some foreigners) express dislike of the "Nanny State" over there. Big Brother/Sister regulating too much of ordinary life, interfering with free choice, etc.

Here in the US I found the LACK of regulation & oversight in the wide-open health system (not to mention pharmaceuticals) absolutely appalling. Obama Care (ACA) is an attempt to redress that particular "freedom" ...i.e. the freedom to become very ill or die if one did not have enough money or a generous employer

tonrob

I cringe when I hear native-born Americans bang on about "freedom". I love living in the US, don't get me wrong, but I feel far "free-er" on the streets of Europe than I do here.

markonline1

I don't feel anymore free here. I get stopped more by the police here than I ever did I. The U.K. Freedom equates to one thing here, and it's the right to own a vast arsenal of weapons!

Wintersong

I don't notice any difference in my own day to day life, to be honest. It also depends on what we consider "freedom" to be - because if we're talking about certain rights being guaranteed by law, there would also be a large state-dependent component over here. Do guaranteed rights to e.g. breastfeed in public & take maternity/paternity leave come under the banner of "freedom"?

Maybe I simply wasn't aware of the issues when I lived there, but it certainly seems as though the US has a much bigger disparity than the UK when it comes to equal treatment and due process in the legal system. When black males are more likely to be convicted and more likely to serve longer sentences than white males accused of similar crimes, doesn't that mean that the "freedom" is distinctly lopsided?

The "freedom index" ranks the UK higher than the US: http://object.cato.org/sites/cato.or...index-2015.pdf

Bob

No.

robin1234

I doubt if any Americans actually believe it either. Isn't it just a rote saying, like religious people mumbling their various nostrums? Unfortunately, candidates are forced to wheel out this patriotic claptrap in election season, it's part of the whole dog and pony show.

Nutmegger

I relish the freedom to be pedantic and point out that the word is freer. 😉