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The fear is that the rate at which escalation occurs is tightening significantly, especially with regards to the mobilization of a civilian populace.

It stands to reason that the rate at which escalation occurs directly correlates with the usage of violence by a government, and that the correlation is with the rate of escalation rather than the maximum level of tension.

Or, more to the point, the level of violence applied by a government depends on how quickly shit hits the fan rather than how badly of a mess there is.

If shit hits the fan in America, it will hit it very quickly.

It is not that they really think it is worse, it is just easy to get up votes by claiming they are.

I think it's "cute" when people in other countries can actually fight the police.

If there was even the smallest "attack" on police in the US, every person at the riot would be dead, beaten and imprisoned, or hunted down, which is why this never happens fortunately.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonewall_riots#Escalation

Um, stonewall was nearly 50 years ago.

Have you seen the police at demonstrations this decade? They are para-military equiped. Body armor, fully automatic weapons, even mini-tanks from decommissioned iraq/afghan military use. I am not exaggerating.