The Killing of America

The Killing of America

1981, Crime  -   74 Comments
8.40
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Ratings: 8.40/10 from 194 users.

This timeless shockumentary (made in 1982 and restricted 18+) has never been released, distributed, televised nor made available for sale in the USA. America is the only industrialized nation with a higher murder rate than countries ravaged by civil wars, like Cambodia or Nicaragua. There is an attempted murder every 3 minutes and murder victim every 20 minutes. Japan, England and West Germany with a combined population equal to America have 6,000 murders a year and America has 27,000 a year.

In the first 80 years of the 20th century America has had more than a million murders, more than all her fatalities in all her wars. No place seems safe not even the street; no person feels safe not even the president. Not long ago the American Dream seemed to come true: big cars, big houses, big everything. But not everyone could get an equal share of the dream. Though it seemed impossible they existed side by side - America the beautiful and America the violent. The turning point was November 22, 1963, the day the American Dream of freedom was wedded to the American Nightmare of murder, the day when John Kennedy was assassinated.

Martin Luther King tried to heal the sickness of racial hatred and won the Nobel Prize for urging a violent land to turn away from violence, but the answer he got was more violence. On April 4, 1968 Dr. King was assassinated. The murder of Martin Luther King triggered riots in 125 cities. Police needed the help of 45,000 soldiers as the government fought a war with its own people. Then another series of battle lines was created by the growing hatred of the war in Vietnam.

George Wallace had a good chance to defeat Richard Nixon until one day in Maryland, May 15, 1972. Wounded four times Wallace survived and was confined to a wheelchair for life losing the chance to be elected. Though hard to believe, presidential elections were then being decided by killers.

Robert Kennedy appealed to young and old, black and white, students and workers, and he was trying to end the violence that began with the murder of his brother. On June 14, 1968 he has won the California Primary and after he finished his victory speech he was shot three times and he died in the hospital.

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Kelly
Kelly
3 years ago

Humans are a scourge on the planet.

Kris Aaron
Kris Aaron
6 years ago

The same then as now: mostly poor black people killing each other. That's got to be addressed without racism or accusations of racism. I would no more live in an inner city black neighborhood than I would live in ISIS controlled territory.

Steve the researcher
Steve the researcher
8 years ago

@a_no_n

You forgot that at original all people (had to) be communist as before we evolved cities and villages we just lived in groups in which the only guarantee you had is that you COULDN'T get food for yourself every day, therefor it had to be shared, this exact social behavior is still seen in desert nomad tribes in northern Africa (which makes sense as the terrain there is pretty shitty).

Therefor socialism is out ancient way of life (sharing **** so we all survive) while kapitalism stands at the other end (everyone for themselves and **** it if people die); of course when one defines it like that good and evil is quickly seen (but don't tell the 'Christian' free-market Americans or they'll call you a communist (even though to be a communist you need to COME from a communist country which has never existed (we've only had socialist countries (yes even the USSR (they called themselves socialist only the US called them communists (but as if we didn't know the US does misinformation))) so it's interesting to be called something that hasn't existed yet (shows you the IQ of these people))

So yeah @fred schulman is being an ***** who can't think a step ahead or read a book but what do you expect to find on the internet.

Bwin51
Bwin51
9 years ago

Made me want to leave the US permanently. We're very, very sick. To accept this level of violence is insane.

Anastacia
Anastacia
10 years ago

♥LOVED IT♥

lpen7
lpen7
10 years ago

After watching for 20 minutes I have to ask myself if a remix of (iconic) old news footage is a new documentary. My answer is no and I'll move on. So often the description doesn't represent the film & it's frustrating, at best.

cyberfrank
cyberfrank
10 years ago

what a tragedy!

Jearbee
Jearbee
10 years ago

Its absolutely disturbing how some of these people believed that they were doing the right thing by killing others, and how some found it amusing to do so. I liked the documentary though because it did shed some light as to why these people did what they did even though some of their reasoning are just not right. That's just my opinion though.

Zorocano78
Zorocano78
10 years ago

Love it, the EL-LITE have you all at each others throats LOL. Love reading peoples comments to see you all fall into the trap of arguing with each other. Pro Gun vs Anti Gun, Socialist vs Capitalist, Black vs White, Gay vs Straight, Russian vs USA, blah blah. When what your not doing is tackling the corruption behind every system on the planet. Now if you do some research and study the structure of the banking systems, you will see that certain families control all the major banks in the world, including the WORLD BANK and the IMF which now has a majority of countries in debt to it. So please carry on arguing as your sovereignty as nation states is eroded, power centralised and the civilians reduced further into their role as Serfs, Slaves, Economic Working Class! Carry on arguing as your human rights get trod into the ground, austerity measures increase, taxes increase, and your governments send your children to war to satisfy the greed of the bankers. Well done all of you! Keep it up! Its what the El- Lite want! Or you could stop arguing, do some research and start rising up as one against the evil cabal that likes making stuff to kill people with. Of course there is going to be those who will respond to this and argue with me, failing to really understand the message of what I am saying, but so be it..... you cant help those who refuse the truth.

Richard Neva
Richard Neva
10 years ago

And no country on earth has more draconian firearms laws than America so a film that starts off with the gun problem I am skeptical and will not waste my time with this documentary!

Michelle LeVeaux
Michelle LeVeaux
10 years ago

I had never heard of many of those crimes. Course, obviously, Charles Whitman, redundant, redundant, redundant...There's some pretty significant criminals that should be documented in some of these crime reality shows. Rather than the same ol' boring killer! I'm not really that cynical!

Also this excellent documentary did not sugarcoat the crime scenes as all the crime reality docudrama's do! They should show it's reality, it has a much deeper, urgent type of impact on the mind.

And with the Corll and Gacy atrocities, thinking that many of those boys were merely runaways, I believe that way of thinking must still go on today. You almost never hear of homosexual serial murderers working nowadays. I don't think they've gone away....... Do you?

kelly kass
kelly kass
10 years ago

Good thing we have the NRA and groups like ALEC to fight for more guns and the legality to kill someone that makes you feel threatened.
(eye roll)

awful_truth
awful_truth
10 years ago

Actually, a pretty good documentary, probably because it is uncut, and makes no attempt to blur the point it is making. Sadly, evil really does exist, and it is all insane. (no boundries) The only 2 justifiable arguments to own weapons are to hunt, (provide food) and to defend oneself. (guns are the ultimate equalizer, because even the weakest can pull a trigger) With that said, many americans feel they are necessary primarily to protect them against their own government, yet never question it when their government sends them abroad. (not in defense, but for economic purposes)
Ironically, the more you focus on them,(guns) and the fear that justifies their necessity, the more more dangers you will encounter from them. Now imagine the future with energy directed weapons, (microwave,auditory, and lasers) in the hands of people whose morality has not kept pace with the technology.
Question: If they used virtual Sarin gas in Grand Theft Auto, would they outlaw the game? (bullets.... bombs good - gas very naughty)

fred schulman
fred schulman
10 years ago

It is not 1982. Things have changed, many for the better, some for the worse. As our federal government and enormous bureaucracy continue to get larger, the individual and freedom become smaller. Eventually, we will all either be employed by big government, get a hand out or begin a revolt. Those are the choices facing Americans today.
Perhaps it is time for a change of leadership.

Kansas Devil
Kansas Devil
10 years ago

Despite all the reported violence and death, people still want to come to this country. Despite the US foreign policies of imperialism, people still feel the US is the best place to live.
Either people are disillusion or foreign nations are sending us their worst or it was never really as bad as depicted.

Greg R.
Greg R.
10 years ago

On August 3 2001 The US Senate voted to back President Bush's plan to kill the government's successful gun buyback program, handing a victory to gun rights forces. Bush's main argument was that the government didn't have the $500,000.00 to fund the program. That year 32,163 Americans were killed by guns. A little over a month later 2966 Americans and 19 terrorists would be killed on 9/11. George Bush would find the money, billions of dollars... As tragic as all this is, it hard to ignore how many of those 32,163 Americans killed by guns in 2001 would be alive today had the government had funded this half a million dollar program.

Nada nada
Nada nada
10 years ago

Dem 70's were really wacky.

Patrik
Patrik
10 years ago

Americans only got them selfs to blame. Why not try to get rid of all the guns oohh nooo its in the constitution so you "need" them i dont feel sorry for anyone getting murdered there you chose to have the right to weapons every attempt to remove that right is attacked and stoped then live with the consequences. Im just happy i am not an American living in America

rauf shah
rauf shah
10 years ago

un predictable human nature.every country in the world has the same menace but US is on the top cause of its being a super power.feel pity for the poor Americans.its an excellent documentary
.

~Oliver B Koslik Esq
~Oliver B Koslik Esq
10 years ago

I've always hypothesized that: The more allowance there is for hate, in the norms of any given culture. The more there is indication that the culture is under the direction, of whomever is allowing it to continue.

bringmeredwine
bringmeredwine
10 years ago

This was hard to watch, really gruesome images of slaughter and horrific tales of murderers and shooters doing their thing. Hasn't the murder rate dropped since those times? ( just asking).
Now how about a doc about all the people who are doing good things for their fellow Americans?

Barton Tiper
Barton Tiper
10 years ago

That was harsh! This doc made me sick. I highly recommend it !!!

dean
dean
10 years ago

America does stand out amongst the 'industrialised', 'developed' nations as a pretty grim and dangerous country. In that sense it's quite a dark place; comparing apples with apples.

The murder rate is one thing but America also scores very badly in other areas of concern compared to many other developed nations. Yep, America has issues, huge issues and in some respects lags behind Africa, Eastern Europe and parts of Asia.

Terrible when you think of what it could achieve, at least for its own citizens.

cyberdog
cyberdog
10 years ago

These guys clearly have not been to South Africa. Crime in South Africa makes the worst of these guys look completely civilized.

Bry77
Bry77
10 years ago

America was founded on death and violence,why should we be surprised that we happen to be the best at these things?