Interesting article on US freedom rankings

[mojo84]

Fairly recently, there were comments made that our freedom in the US is not being reduced and that we have not lost rights.

Here is an article that may be of interest. It says we are falling in the world freedom rankings. Guess who is ahead of us.


http://dailycaller.com/2015/08/18/unite ... m-ranking/

[joe817]

Sad. Very sad. Many, if not most, western democracies rank ahead of the U.S. But Hong Kong rated #1?? Ahhhhh, I find that hard to believe....or should I say hard to accept. Of course I also find it hard to accept that Chile is ahead of the U.S.

I fear for our future.

[mojo84]

I too was surprised by some on the list that rank higher than the US.

[VMI77]

While I agree that our rights and freedom have been eroded, I don't buy this particular ranking. The UK is more free? You can't be "more free" than you are in the US if you live in a country that doesn't recognize your right to self-defense...no matter what other goodies you may get. The people who create rankings like this one are the kind of people who think people have "more" freedom when no one but the government has guns.

[mojo84]

I don't know, the Cato Institute is pretty liberty minded. While there are subjectivities that can be argued, I wouldn't dismiss totally.

[VMI77]

It's a philosophical difference. I don't consider any country to be "free" if the law denies you the means and the right to defend yourself. Most of the countries on that list deny to some extent either the means or the right to defend yourself, or both. Canada is ranked 6th and from what I read in news articles to the extent the use of a gun for self-defense is allowed, it is very limited. The UK is ranked 9th and the use of a gun in self-defense is virtually guaranteed to get you prison time. Chile, ranked 18th, allows ownership of 2 guns, after an arduous process that includes a psych exam. Neither can be semi-auto.

There is virtually no civilian gun ownership in Hong Kong, #1 on the list, but it's theoretically possible. However, you can't have ammunition on the same premises, so self-defense with a gun is impossible. You have to prove a "need" for a gun in Germany and self-defense is not accepted as a reason. Austria, surprisingly, requires a license, but is shall issue for personal protection, and may issue for concealed carry, so I assume there must be some right to self-defense. Some, like New Zealand have shall issue licensing for ownership, but no provision for protection, so self-defense is probably treated like it is in the UK.

[Eric Lamberson]

I have a number of friends/contacts from other countries and many believe the U.S. is over regulated with one exception--they all marvel at our ability to possess and enjoy firearms.

[ghostrider]

You can't be "more free" than you are in the US if you live in a country that doesn't recognize your right to self-defense

exactly. without the right to "self-preservation" how can other freedoms really mean anything?