monitoring Trump and relevant contemporary events

oralloy wrote:

Wilso wrote:

The US is not the biggest developed country in the world. It's simply the most developed of the big countries.

Whatever else we are, we're the only country in the world where the people remain free.

So... no free people in other countries?

This one always warms my heart.

Whatever else we are, we're the only country in the world where the people remain free.

We know that there is a world outside our borders. We also know that it's a world without freedom.

In your mind.

I've heard it said the US is the most overregulated country in the world, with the greatest systematic surveillance of its own people in the world, and one that allows its companies to invade their constituents privacy willy nilly (think Google). It is said the rich are above the law (or largely),

while the poor (particularly the black) are targetted, and fearful for their own safety from their own Government.

Some peaceful protests are squashed with overt force, while others, violent, are allowed to roam free with little impediment. Rule of law is suspended for places like Guantanamo Bay, and black sights, run by the US goverment under the flimsy pretext of 'other jurisdications'....

In the minds of a lot of other people, the US lags behind in democratic freedoms.

Of course I'm quite sure you have your opinions on each of these. It is to point out that they are your opinions, and asinine ones at that.

Yep, as I said, just your opinion.

By the way, spouting opinions as fact doesn't change that they are opinions. And no, I don't need to prove an opinion to be correct or otherwise - one of the benefits of stating an opinion...but if you want to say your opinion if fact, then the onus is on you, not anyone else, to show that it is fact.

That free people have the right to have arms for personal self defense is a fact.

I do not say that opinions are fact.

As if that is the only measure of freedom

it's not even an idea or measure that everyone agrees on

There are many ideas of what freedom entails, and many measures.

You implied your opinions are such.

Opinions aren't wrong outside of fact. Nor are they right outside of fact. They are opinions.

It's one of the key pillars.

Progressives are well known for their hatred and dislike of freedom and civil liberites.

Again, not the only measure,

as your stating of only that on several occasions, and no other measure, continues to imply.

And again, not an idea, nor a measure, that everyone agrees on.

You use the word 'progressives' like it has meaning here.

An idea can be judged by anyone as worthwhile or not, meaningful or not. Grouping people into groups like 'progressives', 'liberals', 'conservatives' etc have little to do with the actual value of any idea.