We might have more freedoms on paper, but we don't use them as liberally as the French do theirs...

[Surya Gayatri]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026083343#post35

This was Beyond Geography's response to one of my OPs. He/she kindly gave me permission to post it as a separate OP.

"I lived in France many years ago. When I came back here in the mid-80s, it was mind-blowing how conformist the Reagan boot-licking media was compared with the press in France. Paris had 7 or 8 dailies, including La Libé and L'Humanité, far left and Communist respectively. There was also Le Canard with great satire and, of course, Le Monde, on the center left (or way left of our supposedly liberal WP and NYT).

I don't think it has changed much, and Robert Crumb agrees:

'No other journalists have called you? Really?

No, you’re the only one. You don’t have journalists over there anymore, what they have is public relations people. That’s what they have over in America now. Two-hundred and fifty thousand people in public relations. And a dwindling number of actual reporters and journalists.

We don’t have a context for this tradition here, merciless, political satire. One thing I keep noticing is commentators here are pointing out that the cartoons were very offensive and insulting. It’s as if we don’t understand that was by design. Very intentionally offensive, and very clear about why that couldn’t be compromised. That’s the part we don’t get, as Americans. It’s like, “Why did they have to be so mean?”

It’s a French thing, yeah, and they value that very highly here, which is why there’s like a huge amount of sympathy for the killing of those guys, you know, huge demonstrations and crowds in Paris – people holding up signs that say, “Je suis Charlie.” Even here in the village where I live, we had a demonstration yesterday out in front of the town hall. About 30 people showed up and held up “Je suis Charlie” signs.

Read more at http://observer.com/2015/01/legendary-cartoonist-robert-crumb-on-the-massacre-in-paris/#ixzz3Oo3UdiFN

I think it's a classic American mistake to point to our laws and claim victory. Better to look at the practice behind the theory."

______________

And, there you have it. Beyond Geography hits it out of the park.

[msongs]

1. systematic rape, torture, oppression, and murder in the name of religion ok, cartoons...bad nt

[cyberswede]

2. Huh?

How does that relate to the OP?

I read the OP as saying that free speech is, in practice, freer in France than the US, regardless of each country's laws.

[Surya Gayatri]

6. I think I get what you're getting at, msongs...

All of these atrocities go on, but God forbid you should turn them to scalding, scurrilous humour by pointing out the hypocrisy.

Is that it?

[Fumesucker]

3. Let us also remember how worshipful the M$M was towards Dubya

Bootlicking doesn't begin to describe it.

[Surya Gayatri]

4. More like "anulingus", a word I just learned after all these years...LOL!

Look it up--I'm too embarrassed to explain!

[Fumesucker]

5. I know what it is..

And I agree.