What makes you thankful to live in a free country?

[jerseydevil]

Originally Posted by Hemel

btw, I note my freedom to use the term 'USAmerican' has also been constrained as my post above was edited so that the word became merely 'American' and my abbreviation 'USAm' has been rendered 'US'. Perhaps my point that freedom is not absolute has been demonstrated?

What does that have to do with governmental freedoms. Private institutions can detemine any standards they want. The government can't do anythign about you using that assinine USAmerican term - but a private company, organization, business can. Just like the government cant' do anythign about someone saying "nigger' or "spic" or "honkey" - but if you used such language in a company - you could be fired.

You seem to not understand freedom. Freedom is from the government - not from private institutions. If you don't like something - you can always go somewhere else. If you want to use the idiotic term USAmerican - you can always go to some other messageboard where no one has a problem with it. However - if a government doesn't allow freedom - you have no recourse. There is a big difference and I wish you would understand it, but it seems very few understand the difference in freedom from government invasion and people setting their own standards of conduct. For instance - if you have a house - would you set rules that visitors must follow? or would you just let them walk on yiour tables and chairs because that's what they feel they should be able to do? That isn't a lack of freedom - the government hasn''t instituted those rules - however, you have because it's your house. Do you get it now?

And again - no acknowledgement of the freedoms you enjoy. But I guess maybe you don't feel you have any freedom. Come on now though - England has just banned fox hunting - lack of freedom, outlaw of guns - lack of freedom, control on drug use - lack of freedom. I can list tons and tons of things that you don't have freedom to do in your country, or even in the US - but it seems like people can't appreciate how much freedom they do have - mostly through a misunderstanding of what freedom is.

BTW - it wasn't edited to "merely" American - it was edited to the correct term for the citizens of the US - "American". You show your contempt with it's use and your lack of understanding - this is especially demonstrated by your use of the word "merely"