Is American culture too violent?

[Badpaladin]

Question is - how many lives were saved because somebody was around with a gun to help ? And too stay on topic - why there was nobody around with a gun to shot down that guy in time or at least much sooner ? Actually culture is not violent, it's the opposite - people live in a false feeling of security and peace, so not many even care to think to protect themselves (and others).

No, there was not a hero citizen with a gun to save the day. The perpetrator opened fire with an automatic rifle iin the crowd at point blank range and was eventually brought down(not killed or critically injured) by the security guard there. But to touch on your point, that's a very dangerous way to think. The point of these Congress by the corner is to be a down-to-earth, no big government event so people can get a sense that the officials they elected aren't just in the background, hiding from the public.

What I have a huge issue is Palin's chart:

http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo...crosshairs.jpg

Where she uses cross-hairs to identify Congress members who voted yes for Medicare. What does propaganda like this say to a nutjob?

[Rashanda]

I think the separation of the country is a problem..
Also.. Brazil and Russia come in first and second for crime rates. We come in third, but doubled less then the first two.

[Deleted]

Right, so only the criminals who bought their guns from underground resources has the weapon. Let me call the police, and have them help us, they'll be here in 10 minutes maybe. By that time, the caller is already dead.

Disarming the citizens, is wrong. But so is arming them, and not giving them the proper education about it.

The problem isn't the gun, it's the person. Understand?

yea, and that's why countries who allow everyone to buy a gun at wallmart have nearly the same ammount of gunshot related crimes compared to countries were guns are illegal.
uh wait, they don't


grow some balls, you dont need to solve every bloody problem with a gun ^^
just punch someone or kick him in the balls or whatever you like, what's wrong with you guys?

guns are made for war.
nothing else, not selfe defense, not for helping grannies over the street..

nothing else but war.

[Atrea]

As someone who lives in Canada, I have a somewhat different view of the US than most in the world.

While non-Americans are privy to bits and pieces of American Culture, Canadians for the most part are bombarded with it.
At the same time, we have our own unique culture, and so we have the perspective of being able to peer in closely, while at the same time, not being inside.

I personally believe there is a fair deal more violence in American culture than one might find elsewhere.
While each nation's culture has its violent aspects, I think the wanton commercialization of violence in America has become almost a caricature of that nation's nature.

That being said, I don't think that this particular event was inspired by the same train of thought that yielded "celebrity boxing".
Instead, it feels like it was ignorance.

Like many things in American culture, politics have become hyper-commercialized. Politicians - or political commentators, even - have reached the status of rock stars. And for the same reason that you can't talk sense to a rabid fan of a band that you don't particularly care for, you can't talk sense to a rabid fan of one of the political 'talking heads'.
This is troublesome, because the trend among a great many of these individuals is leaning towards violent opposition.
It's doubly troublesome, because these political icons often mobilize people against causes that are in their own best interest.

I find it rather sickening to hear, when I ask someone, why they are against something like a national health care system, for them to spew party lines, and slogans, rather than make valid, cogent points.
I'm sure many people here will disagree with that assessment, but all I can think to myself is how self-destructive and short-sighted it is.

As long as talking heads paint crosshairs on political opponents (something that Badpaladin alluded to), things like this are going to happen.
And while I am vehemently against suppressing someone's opinion, or expression, I think the more people that flock to lunatics like that, the more violence you will see as a result.

[Deleted]

violence only produces more violence. quite simple actually.
if guns are legal, it's not that shocking that there are more gun related crimes.

<3 logic.

I'm pretty sure after killing a murderer to save someone from him, said murderer will be very violent.

<3 logic.

[Kokiron]

Dont think it has anything to do with the country, just people in general. Crazy people are everywhere; America just has a large population and therefore a larger number of crazy people than some other places.

[jtgizmo]

American culture is no more violent than other countries. iirc a month or so ago London was experiencing major riots because they tripled the tuiton cost. The riots involving much violence.

I just think humans in general are violent, or at least, instinctively become violent.

I really hope what happened in Arizona doesn't become fuel for "anti-gun" laws. It was a tragedy, and it was an unfortunate event, however it was the person who did it, not the gun. Even if you outlaw guns, the criminals will still find ways to get one. Disarming the citizens, in my opinion, is wrong.

this maked me lol so hard, honestly? HONESTLY? You are comparing a student rioting vs 19 people killed? Where people were demonstrating against broken promises vs 19 lives lost cause some wacko got hold of an automatic rifle and went on a spree! America also has largest number of school killing in the world. In general i wouldnt start debate about whether 2nd amendment (I take thats the right to bear arms) is to blame, but it does make things easier to get guns. And if people say well its up to individual and his morale - then there is your answer. Does america society and parenting is failing... I do believe so. Plus - nanny state ain't helping much either.

[Drexxil]

yea, and that's why countries who allow everyone to buy a gun at wallmart have nearly the same ammount of gunshot related crimes.
uh wait, they don't


grow some balls, you dont need to solve every bloody problem with a gun ^^
just punch someone or kick him in the balls or whatever you like, what's wrong with you guys?

guns are made for war. nothing else, not selfe defense, not for helping grannies over the street, nothing else but war.

Where in my post did I state I can't solve a problem without a gun? You don't bring a knife to a gun fight, understand?

Have fun trying to punch the criminal using a black market gun. Let me know how that turns out.

[Deleted]

I'm pretty sure after killing a murderer to save someone from him, said murderer will be very violent.

<3 logic.

yea, because his bros wont come for you, my bad, never happened anywhere... ever....!
did you actually watch tv lately?

(example)
you are being robbed (maybe with a gun), and people DO notice.
but, shocking: people do not react!
why, because they had no guns? or no balls rather


in general mankind is not the bravest creation, and if it's not about them, they will not risk their lives.
or do you dare to disagree on that one?

well, and actually if the meanie would not have used a gun, you wouldn't need to shot him, right?
violence produces violence, that's it, no matter what bush said :>


people need to be trained to analyze and react to situations properly. that's why cops ain't just get their gun and cute uniforms, but why they have to learn (and still, alot of them just fail at some situations)

but hey, why have cops at all? america has armed people! let them do the defending
that's what is usually called anarchy, survival of the fittest, i thought mankind developed to a higher lvl than that, my bad, some did not obviously.

[Deleted]

as far as guns go anythign if used wrongly can kill like i can driv my car down the wrong way on the free way to kill me and others does than mean no one should have cars just because some misuse it

I just want to point out that Cars are used primarily for transportation. Guns are ONLY used to harm or kill. So it's a pretty stupid point to make.

[Deleted]

'tis indeed a true shame that human beings love and revel in violence, misery...death.
Add to that the -fact- that most humans are irrational...well...
Let's just say 'tis the humanity itself that's too violent, not just the cultures.

[Drexxil]

this maked me lol so hard, honestly? HONESTLY? You are comparing a student rioting vs 19 people killed? Where people were demonstrating against broken promises vs 19 lives lost cause some wacko got hold of an automatic rifle and went on a spree! America also has largest number of school killing in the world. In general i wouldnt start debate about whether 2nd amendment (I take thats the right to bear arms) is to blame, but it does make things easier to get guns. And if people say well its up to individual and his morale - then there is your answer. Does america society and parenting is failing... I do believe so. Plus - nanny state ain't helping much either.

Did you read my other post? I assumed from the OP that it was about violence in general. Violence in general is just as common in America as it is everywhere else. Do not twist my words into saying I'm comparing a riot over broken promises is the same as a clearly mentally ill man with an automatic(which automatics in most states are banned, and cannot be sold regularly). I gave it as an example that violence happens everywhere else.

[Fortuitous]

Are Americans too violent? No, not really.

Desensitized and disconnected from reality? Yeah, probably.

[Deleted]

Allow People to get/own Guns and they shoot themselves.

Simple as that.

I really do love America and pretty much all it stands for, but the politics on guns i´ll never understand. From my PoV it´s the dumbest thing ever.

[Tierbook]

i was gonna say yes but after reading id say no just fail government+crazy people=badness

[Deleted]

I wouldn't say American culture, per se, but in general people are very violent.

In Ireland, entire cities (I suppose to you Americans they'd be small, relatively, but large in Ireland) are held at the mercy of several crime families, hell, a guy was shot at a gas station for looking like someone who owed a small amount of money, and died.]

Also, about guns and legality, guns are illegal in Ireland, yet they can be extremely easy to get if you know where to go, and murders with guns are all too common. Is there a lower rate of guncrime to other countries who legalized it, maybe, just trying to give the facts.

So, basically, it's common everywhere. If there is a problem with America, per se, it would be that there seems to be little... Moderation, if you forgive me. If you're, for example, Republican, from what I hear, you're told to hate the Democrats and vice-versa. There's little sharing of cultures from either side of whatever denominations it is. And that can breed ignorance about the "Other-side" which can lead to people doing things which to us might seem horrible. I might be entirely wrong, mind you, this is just the way I see it.

P.S. The post sounded too Anti-American, when, really, I love you guys so.. Here's for Paul Auster and the Three Stooges! /toast

[Xenryusho]

People are murdered every day, in every country, if this man didn't have a gun he would have started stabbing them, if he couldn't do that he would have obtained a gun illegally. Politicians are as much to blame for conflict as religion, land, and how people enjoy their toast prepared. People will always find reason to kill each other, over anything and everything. The fact that this man did this because of politics is a step up from the people who kill so they can rape and steal.

[Tierbook]

People are murdered every day, in every country, if this man didn't have a gun he would have started stabbing them, if he couldn't do that he would have obtained a gun illegally. Politicians are as much to blame for conflict as religion, land, and how people enjoy their toast prepared. People will always find reason to kill each other, over anything and everything. The fact that this man did this because of politics is a step up from the people who kill so they can rape and steal.

I like my toast with butter if you dont like that you can... as some hick from south park said "Get out of my country" jking
other than that ya

[wtbepix]

In terms of gun violence, that's completely wrong. The amount of deaths to gunfire in the US is drastically larger than any other country in the world.**

**I don't mean countries like Sudan or Warzones

Because we have guns ... now take a look at say ... England ... heavy restriction on fire-arms, but then you look at the rates for knife related attacks/killings

right to bare fire arms is the most ridiculous right ever seriously
and yes im european, but that shit is about to give serious problems now and then

It made more sense when it took you 20-30 seconds to reload and lived on the frontier ... now some "common" weapons can fire 10 rounds a second.

----
(Correct me if I'm wrong) On public TV:
In many European countries you can show nudity but not gun violence ....
In the US, you can show gun violence / explosions ... but not nudity

[skrump]

In terms of gun violence, that's completely wrong. The amount of deaths to gunfire in the US is drastically larger than any other country in the world.**

**I don't mean countries like Sudan or Warzones

That's only because everybody has access to cheap guns&ammo here I am sure if people had access to grenades they would use them instead of guns.