Last week, I watched American Sniper in theaters. Having read the book, I had high expectations for the film. It exceeded them. I was not surprised at the widespread positive reception. Many, in fact, said that the intense, emotional roller coaster left them speechless as the credits began. I was not even surprised at some negative commentary; it’s understandable if someone simply did not like the movie. What aggravated me, though, were those who criticized Chris Kyle himself. Some of the accusations of cowardice were so baseless that they do not deserve a response. Yet here I am.
After seeing the movie, Michael Moore tweeted: ““My uncle killed by sniper in WW2. We were taught snipers were cowards. Will shoot u in the back. Snipers aren’t heroes. And invaders r worse.” Here is an example of individual who knows nothing of war, yet he pretends to. Now, I have very little knowledge of the military, and I would not dare to judge Chris Kyle because I have no idea what I’m talking about. But at least I admit this lack of understanding. Moore thinks he understands. He calls Kyle a coward for risking his own life to defend American soldiers but probably considers himself a hero for having the courage to put forward a controversial tweet. Disgusting.
Though I don’t know much about the military, I did read Kyle’s book as well as numerous other books about Navy SEALs and special operations in general. Even this basic, elementary, objective understanding confirms the stupidity of Moore’s arguments.
First of all, Moore implies that Kyle is an assassin who is looking to kill. That is not true. His role was to protect American convoys. For example, he gunned down terrorists who ran out of their houses with guns and charged Marines. He was not roaming around the city looking for an innocent to shoot in the back. Moore seems to suggest this.
Second, “coward?” That kind of rhetoric is unbelievable coming from a lowly film producer who’s riskiest daily endeavor might be walking across the street with the “do not cross” sign lit. Compared to Kyle, Moore knows nothing of danger. Chris Kyle willingly put himself in very dangerous situations for the sole purpose of protecting others. Oftentimes he was alone. The enemy put a bounty on his head, yet he continued his work because he so deeply believed in the cause and cared about his fellow soldiers. Even when he was between deployments, Kyle wanted to go back because he felt that American troops were in danger without him. I watched one interview where he said he loses sleep not over those he killed but those he could not save. Coward?
What’s truly disheartening is not the opinion of one misinformed individual. It’s the fact that his tweet got thousands of likes, and millions might even agree with Moore. So let me get this straight: a man whose philosophy was “God, country, family” is being criticized by the “iPhone, iPad, i-whatever” generation? Something does not add up.
I have a lot more to say on the subject, and I could probably articulate this stream-of-consciousness-type argument better. But I refuse to give Michael Moore and those like him any more of my time and energy.
As someone who is preparing to enter the military in just fifteen months, I’ve found it difficult to tolerate the words of Michael Moore and other American Sniper critics. I find it completely despicable how they call these men cowards. It’s almost as asinine as those who accused the Vietnam draftees who reported in for duty of being cowards. Everyone who enters the military will have to face some fears and step out of their comfort zones; some do so more than others. When the situation truly arises, many of these service members are forced to muster all the courage they can bear just to survive an ambush or to save the life of their team mate.
Regardless, I choose not to take the words of Michael Moore and those like him seriously. While they have a right to free speech, they are truly in the minority in these situations. There will always be those who are anti-war or anti-military that will attack a movie for being “too American” or “jingoistic.” It doesn’t matter to me what they say. Their influence in nothing to be afraid of and they will never succeed in tarnishing the names of heroes.
Hi Brandon,
It’s nice to see another person has done some reading into the military, especially since it’s something I’ve found a lot of interest in over the past decade. I’ll admit that I’ve also been…confused by the apparent controversy. That the public, who seem to be so disconnected from the concept of violence because they’re isolated would be so upset over a movie is truly upsetting to me. My ancestors fought for this country, and I’m thankful for all those who are working to keep people around the world safe. It would be tough for me to see the public angry over their actions to help protect the country, for sure.
It’s especially discouraging in this case because there are a number of lessons that could be learned from American Sniper – specifically how novels are prepared after returning from military operations and then how those novels are reinterpreted as films – but are being lost because popular figures want their name in the newspaper for arguing.
I think that a lot of individuals are missing that it’s not only Chris Kyle’s life that should be examined, but also his death. These critics of the movie have failed to acknowledge that Posttraumatic Stress Disorder is an increasingly prevalent issue domestically and abroad as a result of a lack of understanding by the public. How many of those critics realize that his death was at the hands of another veteran that may have been experiencing a severe case?
The media are doing what they do – taking events or works and making them available. I think it’s unacceptable for the public to take that as an excuse to act as self-glorified experts, in the exact same way that I think politicians and even students use single data points to make broad, sweeping conclusions. I want to see change, and I don’t know how long that will take. PTSD has been an issue for decades that was undiagnosed and improperly handled for a long time. The US Department of Veterans’ Affairs estimate over 800,000 cases of PTSD from the Vietnam War, and this is something that cannot be ignored indefinitely if military conflicts will continue.
In 2011, researchers from Georgia State and San Diego State University estimated that for the roughly 2.16 million troops deployed by the United States over the 10-year period of 2001-2010, the cost of two-year PTSD treatment would be between 1.54 and 2.69 billion dollars. Less than $1300 per veteran over that ten-year period for two years of treatment that would likely help prevent violence, deaths, and problems for veterans and the families and individuals they interact with.
Cesur, Resul; Sabia, Joseph J.; Tekin, Erdal. “The Psychological Costs of War: Military Combat and Mental Health,” Journal of Health Economics 2013 Vol. 32(1), 51-65. – See more at: http://journalistsresource.org/studies/government/federalstate/psychological-costs-war-military-combat-mental-health/#sthash.TUtBWHfG.dpuf
You know what costs about $1300 today? A brand new MacBook Pro, just like the one many students at universities all around the country are all too happy to use. A computer that works just as well as a computer that costs half as much and is used because it’s a status symbol. It makes me frustrated to see that the marketing and status that Apple have associated with their products have made it so that people are blind and numb to economics, when all I can see is thousands of dollars being spent all over the place, leading to frustration over tax rates and the economic situation. Where are the public figures making donations to Veterans’ Affairs? Where are the critics when it comes time for fundraisers for local fire and police departments?
To any past, present, or future PLA students who are or will serve in the armed forces, first-responders, and emergency personnel, I salute you and I hope that the view of the ignorant doesn’t stop you from pursuing your goals and dedication. To anyone out there who’s interested in having a conversation about this, working to help find a solution to the problem instead of just complaining, or even learning more, don’t stop looking for information, and please don’t be ignorant if you’re planning on opening your mouth.