Chris W
Obviously you don't understand mathematics, rates nor percentages.
Nevertheless I can only admire the unquestionable blind faith you have in in your beliefs.
Look a the murders in terms of percentage or population we are at the same level as or lower than a lot of European nations. We are only SLIGHTLY higher than other European nations. Keep in mind in the US one of our most cherished rights is the Second Amendment, which means that Joe Citizen can go to ye olde corner gunshoppe and buy pretty damn near anything he wants short of a machine gun. If he has a FFL he can even buy that. Most European countries dont allow citizens to own guns in anywhere near so unrestricted a manner.
More guns = more ease of idiot010110 going out and doing something stupid with a gun. Worth the price though since it also acts as a critical balance against government abuse, as the founding fathers intended.
Also keep in mind, sadly a Disproportionately LARGE percentage of murders in the US can be traced to 3 or 4 Metropolitan areas, eliminate those handful of abberations.... you get the idea.
Personally since I had finish my degree with honors in a couple weeks I really don't give a rats @$$ what you think of my math skills. But how bout a history lesson for you, Europe, which you seem to think is so great, (and which I dont have a particulaar problem, I've always enjoyed Britain especially, wonderful weather, friendly pubs, and Scotland is especially wonderful) but back to the subject of Europe in general.....
1) Would have gone to hell twice in the 20th century if not for US intervention
2) Was home to such wonderfully civilized blokes as Adolf Hitler, Stalin, Gerbels, Himmler, Lenin, Vlad Tepes, et al. I could go on for hours here, but I wont...
3) Gave the world such civilized notions as final solutions, racial cleansing, indentured service, the guillotine, gas chambers, concentration camps etc. And all when the European countries in question were much "older" as nations than the US. Come on, you have to give us a few centuries to catch up, we're only 230, most of the nations responsible for what I just mentioned were well over 500 when they gave us those wonderful things and ideas....
4) and most amusingly..... Europe is so civilized that one European country just invaded another, because that European country was enforcing its sovereign rights over its own lawful territory...
So..... whats that going to do to that precious veneer of civilization? Civilization is a process, a goal if you will, it is not something ANY nation ever has, or ever will, completely achieve.