How does one freely use Bitcoin in the Land of the Free?

devrtm writes: It appears that Bitcoin, a currency designed with anonymity in mind, can be effectively used almost anywhere in the world except in a few countries where it is regulated, and in one country where you can only use it if you give up your privacy. That country is the US. I have accumulated quite a few BTC from the currency's early days where block rewards were still at $50. There was a period of time where one could get a nearly anonymous debit card, or use BTC online with merchants. Nowadays, non-US payment providers no longer issue debit cards to the US residents and the US-based merchants accepting BTC are nearly extinct. The only way to use BTC in the US is to convert it to USD. Unfortunately, that conversion requires giving up your personal information to a US-based BTC payment processor, and there are rumors that signing up for those services raises red flags with certain three letter acronym organizations. I have nothing to hide, but I do value my privacy. Can one freely and anonymously live off of their Bitcoin wallet in the US? I am afraid he answer is no. Does anyone have an experience that proves me wrong? Please share.