I can't abide by what's been going on in this country (U.S.) lately. We've got people running about all over the damn place shooting others as a matter of sick, demented revenge.

We've had innocent children targeted, and now innocent teachers were killed.

I find obsession with violence and guns most distasteful. There are far too many out there who embrace barbaric, small minded mentalities and forward this school of thought by reaching new lows in the demonstration of the human kind's worst qualities. It sickens me to understand there are surely many more like this loser in society-- Everywhere, but most commonly in the United States. That says something about our culture is below the global curve in teaching respect for others. And this Robert S. Flores guy-- He obviously had no respect for anyone; especially if he had no qualms about killing those we should most cherish in a civilized world: Our teachers.

Sorry, but I have to put out a big F-You to that guy and all others like him. Individuals like this have no honor, and are prime examples of reserse evolution at work.

 

I whole-heatedly agree

 

I whole heartedly agree with your general ideas of disgust for acts of nonsensical violence such as this. And as a former and future resident of the amazing city of Tucson, this even really hits home for me But I simply cannot agree with your assesment of our great country:

Now, I'm not saying that we don't have A LOT of work to do, but to say that we are behind the majority of the rest of the world is a grave misperception of our wretched little planet. Whereas the US has a culture laced with violence, many people of the world embrace violence as a means of life. In the middle east for example, their religion has been warped by a political agenda bent on the destruction of anything and everything they see as different. And to this end, they use the most destructive and cowardly forms of violence imaginable and furthermore PRAISE THOSE WHO HAVE DIED WHILE KILLING INNOCENTS! Beyond the mid-east, there are daily horrible examples of violence and civil unrest in much of south america, asia, africa, and eastern europe. If you think these sick bastard are most common in the US, you haven't been paying attention for the last 13 months. Americans need to learn to be thankful for what sanity and social order we do have in this wonderful country- there are millions of people who envy our good fortune.

 

NO!

I'm sick of people totally painting a dim picture on Eastern Europe like that. The worst country that's ever been involved in Eastern Europe and has caused the most havoc have been the United States!!!!

They're the single biggest reason that has caused the life in Croatia and Yugoslavia to be sub-par. Ask either of the sides in the war and they'll tell you the same thing.

Another thing, we NEVER had rapes happening in Yugoslavia. In my 14 years there, I don't recall one case of a serial killer.

There were tons of cases of robberies, and thiefs, but no sick minded individuals like you find here.

Having said that, I have absolutely no grudge against American citizens. I'm very good friends with a lot of Americans that come up here in Vancouver, but I do have a grudge against the American government. I think the whole American mentality is greatly affected by the propaganda that is being put on CNN.

 

That's why I live in Canada.. even though I could be making better money in the US.. not that Canada is perfect.. and any psycho can get a gun anywhere if he wants to.. but it takes a little bit more work for the average idiot to get ahold of guns here.. plus our population is spread out a lot more..and that seems to lessen the amount violent situations..

I don't buy into the idea that it's good to have guns to protect yourself from everyone else who has guns.. because they're not short distance weapons, and are lethal on impact (no time to "defend" yourself)..

I actually saw (in real life) my first semi automatic weapons ever about 2 months ago.. in US customs.. and even though they weren't pointed at me.. it made me very uncomfortable... All I'd ever seen up to that point was holstered police hand guns, bb guns and a couple hunting rifles.. and I'll be happy to continue my sheltered life and never see another scary gun like that again..

 

This is certainly not to discount the many blessings bestowed upon citizens of the United States, and I've been thankful for them, personally. But if you wish to compare us to countries still living in the industrial Dark Ages then you're apt to find the United States a proverbial bed of roses.

That said, you'll not find a single "westernized" nation that maintains the level of violence and killing that ours does. The United States consistently leads ALL modern nations in its incessant, unchanging level of violence, most particularly gun violence, and there is no single country anywhere on this planet that even remotely comes close. Such a distinction hardly makes one "great". We're a "good" country, to be sure, but "great"? It depends on what your definition of "great" is. I'd say a country like Sweden is "great". Low crime rates, essentially non-existent gun violence, excellent education, low unemployment, health care for ALL citizens, advanced industry, markedly lower incidence of obesity, high standards of living, clean water and natural resources, high literacy. So where does a country like Sweden fall in terms of comparisons to living in the United States? I'd say Sweden is BETTER than us. So, if the United States is a "great" place, where does that put Sweden? Are they "Super Great"?

Here's some information from the Department Of Justice for fun global comparison:

In 1996 alone, handguns murdered:

2 People in New Zealand

13 in Australia

15 in Japan

30 in Great Britain

106 in Canada

213 in Germany

and 9,390 in the United States.

Does this statistic appear a bit lopsided? Might there be some kind of connection between key elements of our respective societies that causes the U.S. to lead, by staggering numbers, ALL industrialized nations in the entire world regarding gun violence?

Gee, maybe.

Living in the U.S. may not be the worst place to be in the industrialized world. It's just the least safe.

And f.y.i.-- My mom is faculty *IN* the College of Nursing at the University Of Arizona. True perspective can be found when your own kin are placed in harm's way. I'll not tolerate simple acceptance of the killing that goes on in this country while simultaneously calling us "great", with all due respect to everyone. Those we lost this morning were dear people who made it their life's work to forward the cause of health and education for our collective betterment-- They are the "great" ones.

 

http://apnews.excite.com/article/200...D7MV57VG0.html

sucks man.

don't know why our country is the most violent.

I hope the general population doesn't come across as violent to the rest of the world... most of us are OK

 

obviously a "relative" sense of morality and respect doesn't exist in the american culture. no flames please, i used the word "relative"

 

Allright man, you didn't say we were behind the learning curve on the scale of civilized countries, you refered to the world as a whole. To that end, I'm absolutely right. As per our position relative to other nations with a level of civility comparable to our own, you are absolutely right; there's no excuse for the shameful position were in. As for the "great" vs. "good" vs. "super great", well thats simply a matter of opinion. Our problems with violence aside, our country has much to be proud of. I didn't say we were the best on the world, and again, I was using your all-inclusive global comparison instead of disregarding lesser civilized nations. You're reading a little too much into me- I did preface that we have much work to do, and I CERTAINLY NEVER implied that we should just accept the violence. Again, you went spouting that we were the worst in the entire world & I just couldn't see eye to eye with that. Now that you're refined your argument, I completely agree with you.

Makaveli, I didn't mean to imply fault or cause in the situation in eastern europe. I was simply stating that its a place that struggles with violence.