Fear is the problem. Now, where are people more fearful on average...in Canada or in the USA? I ask you. I've lived in both countries, and I can tell you that on average there is far more fear in the USA (and not just since 911).

It is generally an immediate reaction of fear or anger that causes people to pull a trigger...and anger, as a matter of fact, is a symptom OF fear at some level of the personality. Fear of loss, fear of humiliation, fear of attack, fear of arrest, fear of being dominated, fear of being caught in some act, etc...

The more fearful a populace is, the more people will react in a violent fashion to stressful situations.

What emotion is the daily News reporting most designed to elicit? Fear. What emotion do politicians most often attempt to stir in people in order to get support for their policies? Fear. With what tool do aggressive people attempt to discipline their children? Fear. What is the intention of a capital punishment system? To instill fear.

If your standard means of motivating people and controlling them is Fear, then you can expect plenty of trouble to result from it when those people lose control at some point (just like a frightened animal) and lash out at somebody else (if they're the aggressive type)...or at themselves (if they're the passive type).