# Few countries would have the balls to give the rights embodied in the US Constitution

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/few-countries-would-have-the-balls-to-give-the-rights-embodied-in-the-us-constitution/380476>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [November 15, 2006, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/few-countries-would-have-the-balls-to-give-the-rights-embodied-in-the-us-constitution/380476 "2006-11-15T02:04:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Themenin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ee59a6/32.png) [@Themenin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Themenin)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2006, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/few-countries-would-have-the-balls-to-give-the-rights-embodied-in-the-us-constitution/380476/61 "2006-11-16T13:04:57Z")

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> [@spazattak](#):
>
> Can you give further examples of ‘collective rights’? I’m curious to see if there exists one that doesn’t trample on individual rights.

Anything from speed limits to laws against public nudity, drugs, prostitution, gambling, flag desecration etc

My right to not wear clothing in the street is apparently superceded by your right to not have to see my sagging waistline.

Every nation has to juggle individual freedoms and collective freedoms, protection of minorities and collective welfare. My take is that the US leans towards the individual on property rights, somewhat towards the individual on free speech, and leans towards the collective on all the examples I mentioned above.

> [@spazattak](#):
>
> Yes, but the limitations seem designed to stamp out a certain ideal. Which would translate into the regulation of thought - It can’t be discussed, promoted or criticized if it is unlawful to talk about it period. And that is harmful to educating.

In regard to European hate speech laws, and the French bans on Nazism and negationism, they don’t forbid talking _about_ it, they simply forbid publically espousing these POVs, or inciting others to commit crimes.

> [@spazattak](#):
>
> Protecting the minority from oppressive legislation by the majority is an important function of a representative government.

Agreed, but as you can see from the examples above, the US is far from perfect in this regard. US government is pretty intrusive overall, although it does have a pretty good record on free speech.

For the record, I agree with you that the French ban on Mein Kampf and negationism are counter-productive, I just don’t agree with your wider conclusions.

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