I feel weak and guilty for agreeing with this statement, as I'm sure many others do. But now, I know that's just me culturally de-programming myself. In America, there is always the inkling that violence is just on the horizon. Subtle threats of violence and overt displays of machismo underpin so many social interactions that it has become normal. Excellent, thought-provoking piece. This is one of those 'we all feel it but no one wants to say what it really is' sort of things. Thank you.