This is what happens when I try to type still half asleep and I'm only on my first mug of tea as well, so that's my excuse. Anyway, I thought you were an American so my mistake, I now realize you're civilized:D.

I'm guessing you're from Finland then and I named myself after the Doors song and welcome to Music Banter.

Ah! In that case I can answer your question: I don't think Europe has less violence than the US. I haven't travelled that much, and I haven't read much on the topic, so I may be wrong, but wouldn't you say that a lot of the violence that goes on in Eastern and Southern European countries rivals that of the US?

Haha, yeah, I think of myself as civilized :D
I'm actually from Portugal (yeah, sorry about all that...). And thank you; it looks like a really nice forum.

I should have qualified that as Western Europe and not as Europe in general (as I did earlier in the thread several times) I know most of Europe quite well and most of the violence in the EU tends to be more focused on the more developed countries of Europe, hence the UK generally has the highest levels of violence in general and a country like Spain far lower levels of violence.

The USA is considered quite a bit more violent than the UK, so I'd say that makes it a more violent place than Western Europe in general.

So are you Portuguese and live in Portugal or elsewhere?

Oh, yes, you're right. However, I might have to disagree with you there: Spain isn't all that safe. Neither is Portugal or Greece. Perhaps you hung out in places where there are many tourists? Or maybe you know the facts and I'm wrong. But I know that, having experienced it in person, it doesn't always feel safe. Either way, I suppose one should consider the whole of Europe if he is to compare it to the US in terms of safety, crime rates, etc.
Again, I wouldn't know what causes a person to kill 20 people at a school, but I am sure it is not the fact that he owns a weapon. The gun is merely the means used to carry out his sick plan; why he did it is an entirely different question, and the only one that should be addressed, in my opinion. You gave a few good reasons for it already, I'd say!

I'm Portuguese but I live abroad now. Fortunately :P

I've travelled, lived and worked in several parts of Spain both touristy and non-touristy and it's far safer than the UK in general.

I've never been to the UK, so you must know more than I do.

The chances of the average person being involved in a serious crime are remote, but statistics if you believe them, usually have it as the highest crime rates in Western Europe.

Yeah, and it would make sense in a way too. Therefore we can conclude that it's just that Americans are messed up and we're not :D

That's common knowledge and by letting them run around the place with guns, is a sure recipe for disaster.

Not all Americans, but I will admit that a large portion of this country is a joke.