Did you grow up hearing about America being the land of the free and believing that meant other countries were not? You’re not alone. After someone asked a popular online forum: “What are freedoms many countries in the world have that the United States does not have?” Here are their top-voted suggestions.
1. Selling Food Without a Permit
I think we all remember when “Permit Patty” called the police on an 8-year-old Black girl selling water “illegally” to earn cash for Disneyland. That’s not a thing everywhere.
An Indonesian shares: “I live in Indonesia. I could cook some food, load it in my car, park it on the side of a street, and sell the food from my car. Even the police would buy it.” While some note that it’s not legal here, they see it sometimes. If you aren’t buying your tamales out of the trunk of a car, are you even doing it right?
2. Sex Work
Nevada is the only State in the union where sex work is legal — except for 10 of the 16 counties in Nevada, excluding Clark County and Washoe County, where Las Vegas and Reno are located. Nonetheless, there are many countries where people have the freedom to do what they want with their bodies to make money.
3. Tax-Free Lottery
Canada and Australia chimed in to let Americans know they do not have to pay taxes on their lottery winnings. Whereas Americans forfeit 37% percent to the Feds and pay even more if their state has a state tax.
After someone had the audacity to defend this nonsense, a foreigner scoffs: “Only an American would think it makes sense for the government to pay someone to hand you cash and then pay someone else to take some of it back.”
4. Healthcare Not Tied to Employment
Healthcare not being tied to your employment is a big one. As one notes: “I feel like holding people’s health hostage is a good way to exploit people.” Imagine being laid off when you’re in the middle of expensive tests, treatments, and other crises.
People who are pregnant losing their job right before birth is another fundamental issue. Health insurance in America is a big scam, and it angers me that profits are put before saving people’s lives. Not going bankrupt without insurance is a freedom many Americans don’t know.
“Christian nation?” Hmm… that doesn’t sound like loving your neighbor or caring for the less fortunate to me. Give us Universal Healthcare now!
5. Paid Maternity & Paternity Leave
I’ll never forget having a whopping six weeks off before I was right back to work. No paid maternity leave. Parents are considerably freer regarding maternity and even paternity leave all over the world. Did you know Japan has a 12-month paid paternity leave exclusively for fathers? Mothers in Bulgaria enjoy 410 days of paid maternity leave.
6. Freedom of Public Transportation
One thing America lacks in comparison to other countries’ freedoms is an excellent public transportation system. One writes: “The freedom to go places without being dependent on cars, especially for simple things like getting groceries, going to work, or school. Not being stranded at home cause you are too young, old, or disabled to drive a car is nice.”
7. Schools Without Shootings
As a parent, I feel this in my core. The entire world watches as shooting after shooting claims the lives of our youth. It’s sickening, and we aren’t doing anything but fighting about it.
There has been zero resolution or policies implemented to prevent them from happening. While they practice “school shooter drills” that have yet to save lives. There have been 389 school shootings since 1999, according to data from the Washington Post.
8. No Civil Asset Forfeiture
Civil Asset Forfeiture is one of many legal things that Americans want to see become illegalized immediately. It allows the cops to take your things if they “suspect” you obtained them illegally, even without evidence. Civil Asset Forfeiture in the U.S. means you can accuse a bag of cash of a crime and take it for yourself without anyone being able to defend it wasn’t involved in a crime.
9. Free Higher Education
Many countries have the freedom of free or affordable higher education because, unlike America, they don’t aim to keep their people dumb. I appreciated that after someone stated that instead of having the freedom to study without a substantial financial burden, you have a financial burden for the rest of your life even if you didn’t study.
10. Freedom From Pharmaceutical Commercials
Did you know that the rest of the world isn’t being subliminally programmed to think they need all these magic pills and potions that cause greater risks than the conditions they are allegedly treating?
They sound something like: “Do you have dry, itchy skin associated with eczema? Try Miracle pill. Just one pill a day can relieve the itching and clear red, scaly patches. Talk to your doctor before starting Miracle if you are taking SSRIs.
While usually mild, some people may experience side effects, including headache, nausea, chronic fatigue, hair loss, diarrhea, chest pains, stroke, heart attack, and on rare occasion, death. Do not take Miracle if you are allergic to Miracle. Talk to youor doctor to see if Miracle is right for you.”
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Elizabeth Ervin is the owner of Sober Healing. She is a freelance writer passionate about opioid recovery and has celebrated breaking free since 09-27-2013. She advocates for mental health awareness and encourages others to embrace healing, recovery, and Jesus.