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.”)
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.
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.
I’m Canadian. That’s really the only context in which I’ve heard that phrase used.
I’ve heard something along the lines of “I can’t stop you (legally).”
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.
Actually, I was thinking about the South Africans in Lethal Weapon 2. And we saw how it worked out for them.
To quote the State Department: