I agree with Daylia, and the article she cited, that America is a violent culture, although that fact does not mean that individual Americans are violent. It's difficult to separate "America" from "Americans," although I guess one could define the former as the government/leaders.

Violence may well be inculcated into the culture as a sort of national characteristic, rather than an individual one:

"...the rocket's red glare; the bombs bursting in air..."