@oralloy,
Living in a free world doesn't mean you can do anything that's not legal. The thinking goes, no American raises an eyebrow at the suggestion that the powers of the presidency need to be curbed. And most Americans are also receptive to the view that journalists and intellectuals are allowed to oppugn mob rule and inform the public the dangers of local bigotries and national impulses with their articles and books, although they still have dissenting opinions on many issues.
No American wants to live in an Orwellian world where groupthink or collective thinking takes precedence over critical thinking.