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Comment by InsideOutSanta | Hacker News Reader

Yeah, I had a somewhat odd conversation with a Chinese acquaintance last year when she got to talking about how America sees China. Her point was that, "How am I not free? I can do whatever I want, go where I want, buy what I want. I can talk to you and say whatever I want; nobody is here listening to me."

The fact that she can't call Xi "Winnie the Pooh" on Douyin wasn't something that occurred to her, or maybe that she was aware of at all. I didn't ask. I don't like to get into these discussions when I'm in China.

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There is no such thing as “free speech” anywhere. It’s all a spectrum and the Americans in particular are indoctrinated. It’s a red herring to distract from the real social issues. People in America have some of the worst healthcare in the world. But hey at least we have “free speech”.

Fixing healthcare or economic policies is typically an act of congress type of thing - not even an amendment. Large popular support - and it can be fixed. Fixing freedom of speech or the ability to vote at all - once it is gone - usually takes a price payed in blood. Sometimes rivers of it.

Socialized healthcare does have large popular support, though. Lots of things have large popular support in the US and still don't get done.

It's a red herring. There is no free speech in US. Here's your free speech: https://www.facebook.com/katievbentetv/videos/-youre-embarra...

Citizens of Palm Beach county cannot voice their opposition to how their tax dollars are being spent. They rightly want that money to be invested locally, instead the County uses it to invest $1B in Israeli bonds, something that people widely oppose.

They first said that it's a budget meeting and Israeli bonds are a "policy matter". Then they started arresting people for speaking out against it. Then they started arresting anyone who applauded.

"Free speech" -> I spit on American "free speech". It's the most insidious and dishonest thing. At least the CCP doesn't PRETEND to give people rights that they simply don't have.

wish hn allowed reposts just to reiterate this point.

the U.S allows "free speech" if it's inconsequential.

I can't call AI "AI" without being termed an "enemy" by the President.

> The fact that she can't call Xi "Winnie the Pooh" on Douyin

Actually she can do this. There's plenty of such videos on Douyin ... If you clicked such videos frequently, algo will recommend a lot of them to you.

The worst case of uploading such videos is an aaccount ban (but very rare). So yes the freedom of speech here is fewer than in the U.S., but it's not like you'll be put into jail if you say sth about the president.

How do you even compare the amount or level of freedom of speech? One either have it or not have it! Stop pretending.

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