I don't need any "protections", I need to be left alone. That's how I actually can speak free, feel free and don't worry about my privacy too much (well, as long as I don't use skype, gmail, mobile phone… well, everything is relative, ok?). And honestly I thing that only fools believe in stuff like "free speech protections", although I usually don't try to persuade anybody about all these abstract matters. So, yeah, I'm just fine in Europe without all these "free speech protections" and stuff. I guess it could be better, but I don't feel like leaving to Siberia or some desert island yet.
I don't understand the distinction you are making between free speech and being able to speak freely. I'm not talking about an abstract concept, I mean posting certain things on your blog is actually illegal. And being spied on by the government is the the opposite of being left alone, so I think you should be against that too.
