[tirsales]

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

Americans prize freedom over everything. This is the bedrock fundamental of the American culture.

And this is actually not really a difference to Europe (just stating).
Actually (wrt both continents) its relatively strange, that freedom on the one hand is valued so high, but OTOH can be neglected so easily (see "new" anti-terror laws in the US or Europe).

Now Socialism, by definition has state ownership and control of the means of production.

Thats actually not totally true - the society has control of the means of production. I do know that this is (in most cases) a purely theoretically difference, still - for the sake of clarity - its a difference.
Please do not misunderstand me - I am NOT a socialist (I am also not a capitalist, but thats not the point) and I do NOT want to defend socialism (or - worse - the socialist states history provided).

Now consider, a culture who's most bedrock premise is freedom will not tolerate grant the level of government control described by Socialism. It won't even come close without massive kicking and screaming.

Provided your above definition of Socialism - I can fully understand your point here. Still: This does not explain why the term socialism is used the way it is used (well ... In Germany Hitler and Nazism are "the evil itself" (for a variety of good reasons). Comparisons to Hitler are sometimes used to debase s/o or s/t (e.g. new laws regarding a control of immigration are often called fascistic or sentences like "Germany, with its history of Nazism, should be more sensible in matters of ..." used). But: The usage is neither as widely spread nor as "discussion ending" (hey, you can always state why your not like Hitler...)

So anything ever hinting of increased government control is dubbed Socialism, as an attempt to stop both the conversation and the efforts as well.

Yes, and thats the point I fail to understand. Oh well, cultural differences. I dont have to understand them! (I do not understand quite a lot of the culture of France, and they are a hell of a lot nearer).