" If you want me to be uncritical of a society that ..."

Stu.... I'm not sure if you really, really read what I said. I am protesting against wholesale criticism of **a society as a whole**. I sit here and criticize the gun laws themselves, and by extension the mind set of individuals & groups who propagate them and defend the idiocy!
"politicians" are criticized in the same way, but there are honest, decent politicians who are trying to work within the system to mitigate the damage done by stupid, dishonest ones!
   I simply hate blanket statements which make no attempt to recognize this, or to do any creative thinking that might help! I have explained the Catch-22, circular logic our gun laws have us buried in.... what would you have us DO?


". Does the US consider itself above any criticism from the people it shares the planet with, ..."

See what I mean? The US doesn't "consider itself" at all. Individuals do... and sometimes groups do, as a collection in supposed agreement about some issue.
That sort of phrasing of your criticism makes those who basically agree with you on the crazy gun situation... like me... to be "guilty by association".

You may criticize a situation, or a policy, or an analysis, or a stupid piece of logic...etc, as long and clearly as you wish.... and I will join with you on most of it regarding guns.

Read Lighter's post above. He makes similar points to what I'm trying to say. "A law against idiots" would be nice.... but you see the problem. The idiots ensconced in congress would simply pass a law defining 'idiot' as anyone dumber than themselves.