But Germany and other countries without the concept of free speech are regularly ranking a lot higher than the US on the Press Freedom Index. How do you explain that?
I believe parent means that "clamping down on free speech" is the real problem of any regime, even if it's done in the name of "non-violence" and protection of minorities or whatever.
In practice he's right because eventually it will be used to silence valid criticism against the state.
The didn't have free speech to begin with. People forget Germany, France and the UK don't have the basic concept of freedom of speech that America does. You could already go to prison for insulting the wrong groups or supporting the wrong political party, and people have.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Press_Freedom_Index