Tearing down those who are on top. It's long been the American way, hasn't it?
Clint Eastwood's film 'American Sniper', created from the memoir of Chris Kyle, set all kinds
of box office records last weekend. It's been nominated for several awards including best
picture and Bradley Cooper is up for best actor after his riveting performance portraying
a Navy SEAL who becomes a legend for his work as a war-time sniper.
The film is critically acclaimed and has everyone talking. Enter Michael Moore, filmmaker
and political activist who nobody has been talking about for quite some time. In this
social-media driven world, the quickest way to change that is to tweet something
controversial which Moore did on Monday:
"My uncle killed by sniper in WW2," Moore tweeted. "We were taught snipers were cowards.
Will shoot u in the back. Snipers aren't heroes. And invaders r worse."
So, of course, Moore became trending and suddenly the man, who looks more like the
kind of seal that hangs out near piers in southern California than the ones who put their
lives on the line in the most harrowing of missions, got the attention and publicity that
you just can't put a price on.
I'm sure he'll be on CNN, FOX, and every other network looking to squeeze the last rating
point it can out of the American public. He'll get his face plastered all over the Internet
along with several thousand more followers on Twitter. Yep, when you're in the public
eye that suddenly can't find you, a controversial remark gets people like Moore all the
exposure they crave.
Moore offended nearly every veteran and person who is fighting for its country, something
he has never done or will do. Kyle, like everyone who has ever fought a single minute
for the United States is a full-fledged hero. Nothing Moore says will ever change that.
Never.
Anyone who has fought for our country has more courage than Moore and everyone who
hasn't defended it, combined.
Everything and anything pretty much goes during war and snipers have long been a part of
it. They protect their fellow soldiers and don't just kill for the thrill of it. If an enemy is
sneaking around a corner to fire a rocket-propelled grenade at a convoy, they are fair game
whether they have their back to a sniper or not.
Terrorists hijacked two planes and used them as guided missiles to take down the World
Trade Center towers, killing almost 3,000 people who were just trying to put in a hard days
work. There are few things more cowardly than that.
Kyle had 160 kills in his career which included four deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
He was brave, courageous, and remarkably unselfish. Kyle was trained to shoot and protect
his fellow soldiers by our military and follow assignments. It was no different than the
New England Patriots "Do Your Job" motto. I'm not comparing football to combat but
the mandate is the same.
Moore made it seem like shooting from rooftops and picking off civilians is all snipers
do. Good lord. They fight and face danger every single day. Anyone who gets in an SUV
on some war-torn road on the streets of Iraq is fair game. We've all read about the number
of convoys that've been taken out by roadside bombs over the last 10 years, killing and
maiming thousands of soldiers.
We live in a fantasy world. War is real. Unfortunately, the American public has to see
thousands of bodies come home in caskets to realize it. It doesn't really hit home until
we see pictures of veterans trying to re-adjust to their lives after having limbs and part
of their faces blown off. It's sad, really.
And it's quite sad that Moore has to use the success of 'American Sniper' to gain attention
for himself. He's an intelligent man worth $50 million, he knew what he was doing which
makes it more reprehensible.
Right, criticize the people who put their lives on the line every single day so Moore
can reap all the benefits of the freedom which they are fighting for. He takes shots
at the courageous ones who make tremendous sacrifices just so Moore can continue
to keep what he's doing. Moore has never lifted a finger, broken a sweat, or done anything
for this country except enjoy live off what this great country provides thanks to men like
Chris Kyle.
It's sad and pathetic. It really is.
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