Americans Are Safer Than Anyone In History -- Has That Made Us Cowards?

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/culture/americans-are-safer-anyone-history-has-made-us-cowards

A month ago I was standing in front of a movie theater when a fight broke out near me. Actually, it was more of a beating than a fight. I heard shouting and looked up to see one man hurl another to the ground. The attacker, who was wearing boots, kicked his victim in the face, as if he were punting a football. It was a moment of such abrupt savagery that for a moment I froze.

The attacker then kicked his victim in the face a second time. The man on the ground began to bleed.

“Hey,” I shouted. “Cool it! Cool down!”

The attacker immediately looked at me and growled, “Mind your own business or you’ll be next!”

I had no idea what to do. I didn’t want to become a target for the attacker’s rage. But I also knew I should do something more.

This was all taking place in the middle of a crowded sidewalk. There were two dozen people scattered about, most of them staring into their cellphones, devoutly pretending that a vicious assault wasn’t happening a few steps away from them on planet Earth, an indifference that was probably aided by the fact that both guys had skin and clothing that suggested prolonged exposure to the elements.