But blocking Anna's Archive, Libgen, OceanofPDF, Z-Library, and the Internet Archive's Open Library is such a terrible way to express that you hate press.

Science and academics should be freely pressed, without the authoritarianism of copyright. If my yuri koma was discussing prion synthesis, one shouldn’t deter me for referencing the journal.

I’m aware of French freedom to be lynched. I’m asking if there are freer nations I can write yuri in, that won't persecute my sapphic heart🧡🤍💜.

Americans in particular seem to assume that issues fall along the same political Dem/Rep divide as in the US.

Yes. As someone who grew in Russia, if I'd talk freely and casually about politics in the way we do here, with Americans IRL nearby, I'd probably be literally lynched regardless of those being majority Democrat or majority Republican minded, and if those Americans were sufficiently inattentive, even by a mixed crowd. Things associated with freedom and dignity and just human treatment of each other here are associated with fascism there, and the other way around. And it's very counterintuitive. And also honestly Americans and continental Europeans (but not Brits) generally feel more like peasants with pitchforks than like Russians, in every political-minded discussion. It really feels that they'd be perfectly fine with everyone disagreeing being relocated six feet under, and the purpose of the discussion is usually to let you atone and ask for mercy. Despite all the stereotypes about Russians, this is not the case here, you might get insults, but not that heavy unwillingness to accept your side's existence.

Though that was 10 years ago, now in the Russian-language space there's much wariness of propaganda and legal problems for speech and so on, so people speak less freely, while a loud minority of bootlickers likely outside Russia repeat some combination of American points, more similar to a Republican set, but at the same time certain they'd be loved by Democrats. It's weird.

On other issues like immigration or racism, they are on a MAGA-level. There is no big controversy because it is widely taken for granted that European nations are ethno-states. This is less so in the former colonial powers Britain and France. But they have their own baggage that gnaws at them from within, just like the history of racial segregation undermines the USA.

What about Spain and Portugal?

Oh really? I always liked Brussels as a typically modern European city: a nice combo of old and new, friendly locals plus it's nice and walkable and has a decent variety of food options, though Bruges has them beat on walkability.

Plus they have a lot of great beer and the mitreillette, what's not to like?

I've definitely been a few places I'd rank lower anyway

No.

The copyright lobby in the EU is homegrown. For example, the football league in Italy has achieved sweeping laws that can be used to block pirated live streams without much ado. Expect that to be rolled out across the EU.

It's true that these EU corporations are in league with the US copyright lobby. After all, Europeans read American books, watch American movies, listen to American music. The books are usually badly translated and published by a European corporation, which gives Europeans a cut. European agencies, often government-sponsored monopolies, collect money and send much of it to the US. But a lot is doled out to European corporations. And the collecting agencies have a good thing going, as well.

I appreciate the “fuck America swinging their dicks around in other’s business” sentiment, but let’s not entertain conspiracy where there isn’t any. America doesn’t need to push its preferences in places where the sentiment already aligns.

My post is that you you blame this on America you won’t think clearly about the actual issue, which is the sentiment of EU politicians and businesses and how they skew unduly in favor of harsh intellectual property restrictions.