“What’s Wrong With America ? …”

… wails John Humphrys (RealAudio) on the Today programme.

This blog isn’t a place to discuss gun control. Nor American culture. Nor Islamic culture, come to that.

But there does seem to be a pattern here. When a few Americans do bad things, be it at Columbine or Abu Ghraib, the question is always asked – what does this tell us about U.S. society and culture ?

Not so for the bad actions of a few from other cultures. As Dumb Jon says “don’t expect anyone to be referencing the vast majority of peaceful Yanks anytime soon.”