Michael Moore took to Twitter to attack military snipers the same weekend American hero and Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle’s biopic “American Sniper” was released nationwide and saw extraordinary success at the box office.
On Sunday, Moore tweeted to his 1.8 million followers, “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.”
Following suit, Seth Rogen, recently an actor in the movie “The Interview,” contributed to the anti-“American Sniper” rhetoric by comparing the film to Nazi propaganda by tweeting, “American Sniper kind of reminds me of the movie that’s showing in the third act of Inglorious Basterds.”
Both men have attempted to explain their statements due to the national outcry over their ignorant comments, but the damage has been done. Their intentions were loud and clear. They take their freedoms for granted and sound ungrateful to the very military that protects them.
War is not a game. Soldiers put their lives on the line everyday. Many die. Some children are forced to grow up without their mother or father. Many soldiers come back from war severely injured from the battlefield, both physically and mentally. Their mockery of the American soldier and military institution as a whole — the very ones who protect and preserve their right and freedom to say such idiotic words — is blatantly disrespectful to those who wear the uniform.
The reality is that the civilian-military divide has never been greater. The majority of Americans don’t know what war is like. Since 9/11 less than 1 percent of the population has served on active duty in the military. That equates to a significant disconnect between the average American and those who serve. But even with this divide, the American public’s support of our military and veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars has been incredible and unwavering.
The divide also creates a desire to understand what it is like to serve and go to war. “American Sniper” gave Americans a first hand glimpse and an accurate portrayal of what war is like.
The past 13+ years that the U.S. has been at war have been hard on the U.S. military and their families. Many have done back-to-back deployments four, five, six, or more times. As captured in “American Sniper,” that puts a significant burden and stress on military families. War is one of the most life-altering experiences that can ever happen to a human being, but American soldiers will gladly go in to harm’s way each and every time they are asked by their Commander-in-Chief, because of their love of country and their willingness to protect it at all costs.
“American Sniper” made more than $100 million in its first weekend because of what the film and Kyle’s story represents: Chris Kyle represents the American spirit, the pride and courage of the U.S. military, and the sacrifices that have been made by service members of all generations and all wars.
It makes Americans proud to be American. But more than that, Kyle’s story makes Americans feel safe. It confirms that in an age of global unrest and continual threats to our national values, men and women such as Chris Kyle are willing to go into harm’s way, leave their family, and risk their lives to protect our way of life. That’s what our military men and women do.
While it’s shameful that Moore and Rogen would attempt to diminish Kyle’s legacy and the sacrifices he and his family made by making such arrogant remarks about a war hero and the film that represents him, the American people and the $100 million-plus they spent in the last several days speaks volumes about who this country cares about.