# Do people say, "It's a free country!" or equivalent in other countries? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 18, 2005, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-say-its-a-free-country-or-equivalent-in-other-countries/317671 "2005-08-18T23:03:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-say-its-a-free-country-or-equivalent-in-other-countries/317671/21 "2005-08-21T13:23:30Z")
I was just watching an episode of the Irish soap _Ballykissangel_ last night, where one of the characters says this phrase. He was being sarcastic, and a tad ironic, since he had just been dismissed from his teaching job for telling the children that freedom of religion means that grown-ups don’t have to go to Mass if they don’t want to. (For those who like cites, this is from the second season of BallyK, and the episode is called “River Dance.”) ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-say-its-a-free-country-or-equivalent-in-other-countries/317671/22 "2005-08-21T22:14:49Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Diplomatic immunity!! > " Of course, as you most certainly know, diplomatic immunity only applie to diplomats. Regular citizens thinking they wuld get out of trouble shouting “but I’m whatever” in a foreign country would likely end up pissing off the police even more, as mentionned by another poster. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-say-its-a-free-country-or-equivalent-in-other-countries/317671/23 "2005-08-21T22:20:14Z")
As for the OP, I’ve heard “it’s a free country” normally in the context of someone being called on something he isn’t supposed to do (say, parking where it’s forbidden). I didn’t notice the “If you don’t like it, leave it”, except for people adressing immigrants. There’s no equivalent to “unfrench” I can think of. So, you won’t be laughed out of the room for using it. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-say-its-a-free-country-or-equivalent-in-other-countries/317671/24 "2005-08-21T22:57:44Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Usually, when I hear “it’s a free country”, it’s in the context of “what the fuck do I care what you do?” not “I can do whatever I want”. I’m Canadian. That’s really the only context in which I’ve heard that phrase used. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-say-its-a-free-country-or-equivalent-in-other-countries/317671/25 "2005-08-21T23:39:41Z")
I’ve heard something along the lines of “I can’t stop you (legally).” ---
**Author:** ![JpnDude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@JpnDude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JpnDude)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-say-its-a-free-country-or-equivalent-in-other-countries/317671/26 "2005-08-22T01:01:11Z")
In Japan, most natives use the “Because I’m Japanese” as an excuse for a shortcoming or a reluctance to do something “out of the ordinary” whenever if fits their current situation. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-say-its-a-free-country-or-equivalent-in-other-countries/317671/27 "2005-08-22T01:14:09Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Of course, as you most certainly know, diplomatic immunity only applie to diplomats. Regular citizens thinking they wuld get out of trouble shouting “but I’m whatever” in a foreign country would likely end up pissing off the police even more, as mentionned by another poster. Actually, I was thinking about the South Africans in Lethal Weapon 2. And we saw how it worked out for them. ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-say-its-a-free-country-or-equivalent-in-other-countries/317671/28 "2005-08-23T13:06:18Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Regular citizens thinking they would get out of trouble shouting “but I’m whatever” in a foreign country would likely end up pissing off the police even more, as mentioned by another poster. To quote the [State Department](http://travel.state.gov/travel/living/drugs/drugs_1237.html): > [@](#): > > Each year, 2,500 Americans are arrested overseas. (…) > Many of those arrested assumed as U.S. citizens that they could not be arrested.(…) > Once you’'re arrested, the American consular officer CANNOT get you out! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-people-say-its-a-free-country-or-equivalent-in-other-countries/317671.md?page=1)