All right. I'll put in my
...
I'd say that anyone who's reading this thread lives in a "good" country, because he obviously has freedom of speech. So while we may have differences of opinions and disagree, we've each got the right to say it.
Freedom of speech is considered an inalienable right by American's and so many in the world don't have it; and it isn't just Iraq or Afghanistan. There are many, many other countries who oppress their populace.
There isn't a single country that doesn't have problems with violence, large and small. Each has different ways of dealing with it. The US tends to have punishments that many consider to be soft. I would agree that our justice system has faults, because there are instances when it obviously fails but the basis is to make sure that no one is sentenced without due-process and proper justification. It isn't perfect, but it's a hellofa lot better than many.
As to guns being a problem; if they weren't available, people would use something else to hurt or kill. Locally, we had a man mow down a family walking across the parking lot of a McDonald's with his car. The two-year-old was killed and the woman is now crippled. Witness's said he stopped and waved them across and then gunned it. Does a car carry the stigma of a gun? I don't think anyone would argue that point, but both can be used for good or intentionally to kill.
Violence is a product of just two things.
1.
"Momma didn't raise 'em right", which leaves a lack of moral compass.
2.
"Anger management issues", which is mental.
If everyone had a strong moral compass - and I mean one that is based on goodness, regardless of what religion it may be based on and not one that has been perversed by hatred or a warped version of zealotry - then I'd bet that 99% of person-on-person violence would be eliminated and things like war, genocide and terrorism wouldn't exist.
As to the US being seen as the evil enemy to a substantial portion of the world. It is partially our fault. To use a metaphor, we tend to want to do the humane thing, like trying to stop a domestic quarrel at the neighbor's house. Unfortunately, when we step-in to help the "victim" we alienate the aggressor and are often preceived (sometime rightly so) as overbearing by offending party as well as the lesser neigbor's. The other is that we aren't afraid to stand by our friend's. Most who hate us hate Israel. The hatred of Jews and Muslims goes back to Abraham and his feuding boys. By supporting Israel, the US stepped into a war that has been fueled by bitter hatred for thousands of years. Of course, they're going to hate us.
I could go on and on. Sorry...
I'll step off the soap-box now.
