[logicchains]

Fortunately the US has not only freedom of speech in the constitution but also tens of millions of armed civilians that place a hard limit on how much control the government can have over people's speech. The only reason the Chinese government can achieve such control over speech is because it can disappear anyone who speaks against it.

It doesn't even need guns; Nepalese youth managed to stop social media censorship there just by going to the political capital and threatening to beat the MPs to death.

[rwyinuse]

America may have tens of millions of armed civilians, but I'm not convinced that so many of them care about freedom of speech, particularly when it comes to people who they disagree with.

[trinsic2]

Yeah there is proof of that. I wonder if most of those Americans that believe in freedom probably are the ones that voted in Trump and now look at where we are at.

[niels8472]

From the Chinese constitution:

Article 35 Citizens of the People’s Republic of China shall enjoy freedom of speech, the press, assembly, association, procession and demonstration.

[vondur]

Hahah, that's also what the Constitution of the Soviet Union stated. Tell that to everyone that got sent to the Gulag's for speaking up.

[account42]

That's his point.

[fakedang]

Has the armed civilian population done anything to protect constitutional rights? Last time a section of them mobilized, it was to overthrow a rightfully elected government.

[xienze]

They were unarmed and the government was and continues to be scared shitless of that "attempted overthrow" (with no weapons? Does anyone really believe that had any chance of succeeding?) to this very day.

Seems to me like that Second Amendment thing could be very effective with a sufficiently motivated population.

[_carbyau_]

> They were unarmed and the government was...

Exhibit A says: Bullshit.

[A] https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/us-capitol-attack-rioters...

[fc417fc802]

In context a few handguns clearly isn't what was meant.