From the Bangor Daily News: Steve Barkan, professor of sociology with an emphasis on criminology, University of Maine: America has always been a violent country. We began by enslaving and brutalizing African-Americans and killing and torturing Native Americans. The new nation began with revolutionary violence against England. … Lynchings of African-Americans more or less began during read more Prof Barkan quoted in 10-4-17 Bangor Daily News Editorial