Philosophy Dinosaur

By that logic USSR had free speech, of course consequence for criticizing the government or Stalin was they dragged you away in the middle of the night never to be seen again but hey, there was nothing physically preventing you from doing it.

You did, just now, by the criteria you yourself set up USSR had free speech.

Does it really matter whether it's the government or other people doing the deed? Do you think a black person in American west had free speech before the onset of civil rights? Technically he could say whatever he wished but even tho the government would generally not do anything about it (at least not officially) he may well end up a target of a lynch mob, so it's effectively the same. Free speech means we allow anyone to speak their mind and we won't move to harm their person or livelihood on account of the opinions they express, at least that's the idea. Many people in US mix up the idea of free speech with First amendment, First amendment just enshrines in law that the government will not make laws that infringe on free speech, they are not one and the same.

My point is that if someone believes in free speech they won't go around trying to curtail speech they disagree with, and the whole idea of hate speech is diametrically opposed to free speech by it's very nature, if only some speech is permitted then there is really no free speech. People may violate your free speech by attacking you directly or indirectly but that means they don't believe in free speech, even if they try to weasel word their way out of it.

It can also mean people being fired for posts they make on their personal FB pages which is completely wrong.

But you are missing the real issue. Americans love to claim how free they are. About how many rights they have.

Well they have no rights. Only privileges. That can be removed at anytime. A right by definition is absolute and not dependent on permission of government

I agree. No government is perfect. So Americans need to stop waving flags made in China and proclaiming China is a threat to the economy blah blah blah.

If there’s a consequence then it’s not free. SImple as that.

Free speech? Gun rights? They don’t exist. You have temporary privileges

You're supposed to be taught that as part of growing up. Good luck.

Taught what? Americans need to learn they are not free. Not in the sense they enjoy thinking they are. And that reality is why America is not the greatest nation on earth. No nation is.