Europe, et al, on America's gun culture.

As should be expected, the Virginia Tech massacre has resumed the gun debate. Of course those in Europe, often critical of the US's gun culture, have weighed in, as is their right.

But a right does not guarantee a person uncritical tolerance, and I cannot give it to Europe on one very important, for me at least, issue: We, the US, are not uncivilized, barbaric, nor are we inferior to you because we have a large amount of guns, or so much, as it is seen, gun related crime.
I am tired of this simple understanding of what civilized is. The conceit is appalling, and the irony is staggering. Civilized is not something only measured by consequences, it is also defined with respectful consideration of the rights of individuals, of the principles of self reliance, self defense, and trust in the populace of a nation to act well toward itself. If civilized can be defined by results, than near any method can be seen as just, so long as it is presented well enough. The irony is in the greater self reliance on neighbor and government that is consequential to more restrictive gun laws, when such trust in US government is so often seen as American naiveness.

Sadly, many in Europe and elsewhere do not respect the underlying principles of why people own guns, or support others owning them. The issue is not about agreeing with gun ownership, it is about understanding it, and not putting people down with sanctimonious, too often erroneous, assumptions about their culture and why they believe in what they do.
I have always tried to make some effort to be fair, but there is only so much I can take. Europe, et al, you have never been, nor shall you ever be, more civilized than me, and my country's gun culture does not prove you right. To believe to the countrary is to prove you arrogant.