Has gun violence made America too dangerous for tourists?

There is demonstrably more gun violence in the U.S. than in any other large, wealthy country

Gun violence as a U.S. tourist deterrent
(Image credit: Illustrated/Getty Images)

The U.S. is a wonderful tourist destination, with vibrant cities, scenic national parks, world-class museums and sports arenas, and a delicious panoply of food and beverages, among other delights and attractions.

Or, looked at another way, the U.S. is a violent hellscape where wealthy cities are filled with homeless encampments, the government was nearly overthrown in a coup, life expectancy is lower — and health care spending much higher — than in any other large and wealthy nation on Earth, civilian-owned guns far outnumber people, a mass shooting happens about once a day, school shootings are so prevalent that kindergartners are drilled on active shooter scenarios, and even something as purely American as Little League baseball games are thrown into chaos by random gunfire.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.