Hacker News Reader

Doesn't France have constitutionally protected freedom of speech?

No constituional protection is absolute, as they usually contradict each other to at least some extend. The difference where different societies place the focus - the US is strongly in favor of freedom of speech, whereas European states usually are less absolutist about speech.

One significant difference is the US constitutional assertion that "certain inalienable rights" (notably the freedom to speak) are "endowed by our creator". In practice, this places such rights outside the authority of governments.

In most other countries, rights are constructed and granted at the pleasure of the government currently in power.

It's easy to overlook this philosophical difference as pedantic, but the ramifications are profound.

Godel's constitutional theorem

How many are brave enough to challenge it in the face of arrest or worse police violence?

Judging by this (linked up in the thread) - plenty: https://x.com/NationalIndNews/status/1712525993854833142?s=2...

Reply on news.ycombinator.com