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The synonym for sniper is marksman, sharpshooter, and even assassin. The sniper has been part of human life and warfare since we could throw objects at each other. The bow and arrow, celebrated in reality and fantasy is a sniping weapon. There is romance around the noble ranger with his/her bow and arrow. I’ve watched six films directed by Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit series) where the much-loved and romanticized Elves primary weapon is the bow and arrow. Where actor Orlando Bloom was surgical in his sniping of the enemy while hidden and not. Every race and culture on planet Earth as had or has snipers among their soldiers. Nature itself snipes us. The sniper is a part and a force of nature. And as technology has advanced, tools of sniping have advanced as well.
Now to American Sniper: folks like Michael Moore call sniping “cowardly” (based on his grandfather’s war experience). Others like Seth Rogen call the movie “Nazi propaganda”. Still others call the late Chris Kyle a “psychopathic murderer”. Let’s hit the breaks and realize a UNIVERSAL TRUTH on this planet:
NO civilization has existed and maintained WITHOUT their warriors. NONE!
Around this planet, great civilizations have celebrated and honored their warriors. In the darkest times, the warriors were a symbol of hope and fear. The popular television show The Walking Dead is popular due to the story of these regular people becoming warriors (and they snipe away preferably). Great works of art and culture were defended and retrieved by warriors. Civilizations conquered, destroyed, and rose on the backs of warriors. And if an alien race came to Earth bent on our destruction, we will look to the warriors for a chance. It is what we are. It is what we do.
Chris Kyle was a regular guy who became very good at his job as a warrior. As a soldier. As a sniper. He killed enemies in a war. Enemies who have snipers as well. He enjoyed his job because he was a killing the enemy and defending his country. He’s isn’t the first nor the last warrior who enjoyed what they do. Chris Kyle is not John Allen Muhammed who sniped fellow American citizens just because. Chris Kyle was a soldier doing the job he was trained to do. As warriors throughout time were trained to do. Warriors that we humans have loved, feared, and treasured in writing, song, and in life. You do not have to like/love the war to respect the warrior.
All this noise about the movie American Sniper (and especially the nastiness directed at the late Chris Kyle) is petty and nasty politics since reality is gritty and raw. Because we sure don’t have a problem with movies like Die Hard, John Wick, and The Equalizer.
I’m not complex. Don’t have time for all that. And all that complex stuff bad for the stomach. Just color me simple and plain with a twist.