But we also make them presimadent!

Like George Carlin said, America is an extremely violent country. Everything we don't like we "declare war" on, and we sing about rockets and bombs in our national anthem.

We don't just produce murderous whackjobs, we elevate them, write songs about them, glorify them, and encourage our children to emulate them.

We are easily the most murderous, most violent, most aggressive culture in the history of human civilization, but I can't say for certain if I consider it a weakness or a strength. We can be pretty good at taking care of each other and coming together when needed, and we've got a lot of very different kinds of people living in the USA who basically manage to get along, unlike a lot of other places in the world.

First of all, China's low murder rate may be connected to its culture, but it is definitely related to its repressive policing, frequent executions, and spying on its own civilians. While the U.S. certainly has lots of problems (Shamefully our incarceration rate is higher, per capita, than China's, and many of those incarcerated are non-violent drug offenders.) I'll take our freedoms and a higher murder rate over repression and 'safety' any day of the week and twice on Sunday. I also think that the cultural forces that make the Chinese think about collective appearance and guilt are much less healthy than the American attitude that people are responsible for their own actions. I am not responsible for Eric Rudolph's actions, why should I even think about apologizing for them?

Finally, Kaufman completely underplays the crude sensationalism of the American media. If a family member of an Olympic coach were murdered while at a U.S. Olympics it would be news everywhere. The pipe bombing in Atlanta was news for months (Granted that was a bombing and not a stabbing, but how about Jon Benet Ramsey? Violent crimes that can be sensationalized nationally ARE.) In addition, I wouldn't brag about Chinese media. The majority of it is state controlled and censored, and we don't know what's being said about the stabbings in those formats, but my guess is that much of what's being said is editorialized and controlled to the party's advantage. Kaufman seems to admire China, and there are things to admire about the country, but not the things he is talking about.

Maybe not to Salon readers but to the rest of the world it is. Yes Americans are evil and violent. Especially those evil violent Americans who force Chinese people to murder them.

Anyone remember Munich 72?

Far be it from me to claim America doesn't have an aggression problem, but it is absolutely insane to claim that America is the most violent culture in the HISTORY of the earth. Not only are there cultures around right now with worse track records than ours (North Korea kills countless numbers of its own citizens. Russia has a much higher murder rate, and no compunction about going to war, etc...etc...) but we're leaving out fun civilizations like Nazi Germany, the Huns, Ancient Rome etc...etc...

America has a big murder problem. It, like every superpower in human history, (Remember how the British never invaded anyone? They got their empire in a box of crackerjack.) is far too quick to pursue military solutions to its problems. We glorify violence and guns. These are all valid criticisms, but they are not an excuse for bandying about insane hyperbole. People who claim that America is the worst, or most violent, country in the world, let alone the history of the world, are expressing an idea of such profound ignorance that I tend to suspect them of being right wing trolls.

...and Chinese people need not worry so much about it, because Americans are used to it, accept it, expect it, don't give a rip. It is sort of a tragically ironic point.

However, when Poster Benny writes that he will, "accept a higher murder rate," he is heading for cuckoo territory. My brother-in-law once told me he supported the death penalty, and that he was willing to accept mistakes, when innocent people get executed.

These are examples of Americans who look at every other place and every question abstractly, because they never have been anywhere, and they can't imagine that they may not already know everything.

My brother-in-law seems to have awakened, based on recent discussions, but Posters Benny and Dave are part of the American torture/dungeon/conquer/proud-dumbass cultural disease. And they will destroy the whole world if they get a chance.

Another Benny once said: "Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety"

It is a proven fact that you can drastically lower the crime rate by implementing draconian laws, harsh punishments, and constant surveillance. Police states have low murder rates (If, of course, you do not include state sanctioned killing, but in some cases even if you do.) Take away people's guns, photograph them all the time, pay their neighbors to spy on them, restrict their speech and gatherings etc...etc... and you reduce murders significantly. It isn't worth it. We can disagree on where the line should be drawn, but if given my druthers I will happily take an increased chance of assault by my fellow citizens over guaranteed control of my life by the state. In China people do not have freedom of movement, they do not have freedom of speech, they do not have freedom of religion freedom of association. These are essential freedoms that I will not give up for a bit of security. I have been to many places in the world, and there are many things I think other countries do better than the United States. I would love to see the U.S. change in a number of ways But if you would willingly trade your right to speak your mind freely for a little added security then you are a coward by any definition, and you do not understand the American project