In the US we are responsible for terrain as to our clearances, in other words, we can not clear you somewhere that is below our MIA (minimum instrument altitude) or MVA (minimum vectornig altititude) unless ceratain criteria are met. What you "should" hear us say is leaving XXX cleared direct XXXXX if you are climbing out on a departure or just on your own nav and are not yet above the MIA or MVA.
As to the Cali crash. There were many issues on that one. Not the least language. There was non specific language being used and the controllers were confused as to what the AA pilot was saying, and there was confusion on the AA flight deck as to what was actually being said by the controllers. The pilots requested direct, but the name on the arrival had direct in it and the controllers had no idea that the AA was off the arrival when they gave him a lower altitude. To compound the problem, the fix that the pilots entered into the FMS was the same as anther fix in the database that was in another country, so the FMS dutifully took the aircraft in the wrong direction. This lead to even greater confusion in the cockpit which along with other events helped lead to the tragedy.
regards
Scott