January 16 marked the nation-wide release of American Sniper, a biographical war film chronicling the life of Navy SEAL, Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in United States military history. Directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Bradley Cooper as Kyle, the movie is a huge box office success and has garnered huge media attention across the nation.
However, while the film has been praised by many fans, it has also drawn extensive criticism, with Chris Kyle's character being called into question. Many people have condemned the film due to the nature of Kyle's work in the military, the suggested stereotyping of Muslims as terrorists in the film, and the controversy surrounding the war in Iraq.
Chris Kyle was born in Texas in 1974, and grew up with a strong sense of "God, country, and family." He was taught how to shoot from an early age, and joined the Navy in 1999. As a member of the Navy SEAL teams, Kyle served four tours of duty in Iraq, where he amassed 160 confirmed kills out of 255 probable ones.
As a sniper, Kyle's job was to provide over-watch for his fellow soldiers on the ground, protecting them from danger. Due to his skill with a rifle, he was nicknamed "Legend" by his comrades, while terrorist insurgents placed a bounty on his head. Kyle saved the lives of countless American soldiers during his time in Iraq.
In between tours, he struggled to adjust to life at home, which caused problems at home with his wife, Taya, and their two children. However, Kyle ultimately conquered his demons, becoming an amazing father, husband, and friend.
After he left the Navy in 2009, Kyle began to help other veterans cope with post traumatic stress syndrome, by befriending them, spending time with them at the hospital, and taking them to shooting ranges. Kyle published his book, "American Sniper," in 2012. Clint Eastwood's film of the same name is based on that best-selling book.
Shortly after his book made him famous, Chris Kyle was tragically murdered by a troubled ex-Marine whom Kyle was trying to help. Kyle and his friend, Chad Littlefield, had taken Eddie Routh to a range to practice shooting, in an attempt to help him recover from PTSD. There, Routh shot them both and fled, before being arrested the same day. A memorial service was held at Cowboys Stadium, where hundreds of Texans paid their respects to Kyle.
The question of whether Chris Kyle was a hero is one that has been hotly debated. Many Americans feel that what Kyle did in Iraq was in the service of his country, and Kyle firmly believed that his work was saving the lives of his comrades, and by extension, the millions of American citizens back home. By fighting the insurgents in Iraq, American soldiers were stopping potential terrorist attacks on United State soil.
What some people disagree about is the actual danger the people killed by Kyle posed to the United States. Many argue that the US military was guilty of killing innocent people, more often than not. Others insisted that shooting people from a distance like a sniper does is a cowardly act of murder. Regardless of where the truth lies, Chris Kyle was a true patriot, and he saved the lives of countless soldiers.
Aside from the issue of morality of war that American Sniper explores, it also caused outrage over its alleged negative portrayal of the Islamic faith. Throughout the movie, the Iraqi natives, all of whom are Muslim, are often referred to as "savages" and "terrorists." Most of the Iraqis that appear in the movie work against the American soldiers, including women and children who try to kill soldiers or inform insurgents of American soldiers' positions. This negative portrayal leads to stereotyping against Islam as a whole, which is unacceptable, since no part of the religion justifies any kind of act of terror that the small number of extremists attacking Americans carry out. Islam is a religion that promotes peaceful living and worship, not violence against others. Thus, viewers of American Sniper should remember that just because someone is a Muslim does not mean they are a terrorist.
Every movie that deals with topics, such as war and religion, is bound to cause controversy. No matter what a person's opinion is of Chris Kyle and the war on terror, they should be reminded that American Sniper is a dramatic film adaptation of real life events -- it's not exactly how those events occurred. However, Chris Kyle was a hero because he saved American soldiers in battle and helped them cope with stress after they returned home. He fought for his country, and to protect others and for that, Americans should be thankful.
