[RyanMcGreal]

Most liberal democracies do have protections equivalent to the First Amendment. For example, here's the list of Fundamental Freedoms under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms:

> 2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:

> (a) freedom of conscience and religion;

> (b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;

> (c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and

> (d) freedom of association.

You're right that most other countries don't have anything like the 2nd Amendment, but frankly I don't think the "right to bear arms" belongs in a constitution. It's an 18th century throwback to the discredited notion that the only thing stopping a government from tyranny is fear of uprising.

[smsm42]

"freedom of the press" and freedom of speech are very different things. "Press" is regulated and licensed by the government and expression in the press is available to a select few. Speech is available to anybody.

Taking Canada as an example, doesn't Canada have Human Rights Council which prosecutes people for expressing opinions not condoned by the government?

In fact, Canadian Supreme Court considers limiting freedom of speech and defining what can and can not be spoken by the government completely justifiable: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Human_Rights_Commissi...

Existence of such laws and commissions proves that protection available to Canadian citizens in the realm of free speech is nowhere near what First Amendment provides.

[smsm42]

If you need further evidence, check out this one:

http://overlawyered.com/2013/08/canada-man-ordered-pay-panha...

If you think country where such things happen has freedom of speech, your definition of freedom is very different than mine.