When people ask if the US is safe to visit, I think they’re really asking two things: (1) Am I going to be at risk of gun violence? and (2) Will I be treated badly because I’m a foreigner?
These are totally valid concerns. Just like many Americans think the rest of the world isn’t safe or welcoming, people from other countries often feel the same way about the United States. They hear about mass shootings, police brutality, and racial violence, and wonder if they’ll be accepted here.
With all the media buzz, it’s easy to see why someone might think the US isn’t as safe or welcoming as it once seemed. But let’s take a step back and put things in perspective.
Yes, it’s true: The US has a higher rate of gun-related deaths than most other developed countries. And gun ownership here is sky-high compared to places like Yemen, a country in civil war. The US also has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, and hate crimes are on the rise.
But here’s the thing: despite these issues, overall, the US is still safe to visit.
First, the country is massive—bigger than Europe and Australia combined. You could drive across an entire state in 15 hours and still not leave. Most visitors don’t fully grasp how huge the US is until they experience it firsthand. It’s like the difference between traveling across a country the size of France and driving from Paris to… Disneyland.
Because it’s so vast, there’s also a huge diversity in culture. People from Alabama aren’t the same as people from New York, and the culture in Chicago is different from Florida or Hawaii. Heck, the difference between southern Florida and the Florida Panhandle is like night and day. People dress differently, talk differently, and have different attitudes depending on where they live.
So, don’t think of the US as one big monolithic place. It’s really more like a collection of smaller cultures.
When it comes to gun violence, here’s another important point: More than half of all gun deaths in the US are suicides. And your odds of dying in a terrorist attack are much lower than your chances of dying in a bathtub!
Of course, there are risks. Some big cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, and Detroit deal with gang-related crime, and issues like racism and police brutality are real problems. Mass shootings have been on the rise, and it’s clear that the US isn’t perfect.
But just like in any country, your chances of encountering trouble are slim. The media tends to sensationalize these incidents. For example, when an attack happens in Paris, you don’t immediately think, “I’m never going to visit Lisbon!” You know those places are far apart, and one incident doesn’t make the whole continent dangerous.
The US is 3.8 million square miles, filled with diverse cultures, climates, cities, and 345 million people. Problems in one place don’t mean they’re everywhere.
Deciding not to visit the US based on media stories is like saying you won’t visit the Middle East because of one news story. It’s unfair to generalize. Every region has its own unique vibe, and the US is no different.
As a white guy, I can’t speak to what life is like for people of color here, but I’ve met many non-white travelers who’ve told me how warm and welcoming they’ve found Americans to be. Of course, racism exists here, but not everyone shares the same views. People’s attitudes toward immigrants, the LGBTQ community, Muslims, and other groups can vary widely from state to state.
What you see on TV is just a small slice of the picture. The media loves to highlight the negative because it gets views, but the majority of Americans are simply people, trying to get through their day, be kind to strangers, and enjoy their lives. The US isn’t filled with gun-toting, immigrant-hating, racist people.
Can I promise you won’t encounter gun violence or racism? No. Can I say something bad won’t happen? No.
But the same could be said about any country. The media blows things out of proportion, and while the US has its problems, Americans, like people everywhere, are generally good and welcoming.
Don’t let the media scare you off. The US is incredibly diverse, both culturally and geographically, and there’s so much to see and do. It’s worth the visit, just like any other country.
