American Sniper?

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by RIROCKHOUND

That is a fair opinion. And it sucks for his family.
The flip side of course, is that if he did the stuff claimed, both over there, and the dubious accounts on domestic soil, does he deserve to be put as high on a pedestal w/o consequence because he is dead?

It is a tragic story ultimately, the way he was killed, with a young family left behind. Doesn't mean we should white wash it either....

I'm sure it is a good film, and I'll watch it when it is released for home viewing, even as a raving liberal, you can still appreciate it.

RIROCKHOUND -

Can you explain, by what logic, would you refer to his military record as a "killing spree", when there have been exactly zero charges brought against him for what he did? This is a news reporter for NBC network who said that. It's disgusting. If someone referred to Auie Murphy that way in the 1940's, they would have been mercilessly attacked by the entire nation for making that suggestion. We've come a long way...

"does he deserve to be put as high on a pedestal w/o consequence because he is dead? "

He chose to write a book, so it's fair to discuss these things. And no, I don't think we should necessarily halt criticism of someone after they are dead. But I do think that there shoud be some basis for the criticism. As for the "killing spree" reference, Kyle was never charged with anything, so that pretty much puts that to rest. As to charges of racism? One of Kyle's pallbearers was black. I'm not sure what evidence there is that he was racist, other than referring to the enemy (not all Iraquis, but the enemy) as "savages", which is hardly racist. Kyle routinely put his life at risk to help Iraqis that were allied with us, so I don't see how you can say he was racist against them, either. In all wars, out troops come up with derogatory nicknames for the enemy. Are we shunning that now, since it's not politically correct? Are we supposed to call the enemy "those fine fellows with whom we seem to have a slight disagreement"? That's not real life...

"Doesn't mean we should white wash it either"

I agree. But whitewash WHAT? Maybe he lied about the incident with Ventura (it's being appealed). What else has he done? Is the left reacting to stuff that wasn't in the book? I read the book twice. OK, the guy got in a few bar fights (unbelievably common in the military, I discouraged it among my kids, but had zero success, I simply could not stop it).

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

RIROCKHOUND -

Can you explain, by what logic, would you refer to his military record as a "killing spree", when there have been exactly zero charges brought against him for what he did? This is a news reporter for NBC network who said that. It's disgusting. If someone referred to Auie Murphy that way in the 1940's, they would have been mercilessly attacked by the entire nation for making that suggestion. We've come a long way...

"does he deserve to be put as high on a pedestal w/o consequence because he is dead? "

He chose to write a book, so it's fair to discuss these things. And no, I don't think we should necessarily halt criticism of someone after they are dead. But I do think that there shoud be some basis for the criticism. As for the "killing spree" reference, Kyle was never charged with anything, so that pretty much puts that to rest. As to charges of racism? One of Kyle's pallbearers was black. I'm not sure what evidence there is that he was racist, other than referring to the enemy (not all Iraquis, but the enemy) as "savages", which is hardly racist. Kyle routinely put his life at risk to help Iraqis that were allied with us, so I don't see how you can say he was racist against them, either. In all wars, out troops come up with derogatory nicknames for the enemy. Are we shunning that now, since it's not politically correct? Are we supposed to call the enemy "those fine fellows with whom we seem to have a slight disagreement"? That's not real life...

"Doesn't mean we should white wash it either"

I agree. But whitewash WHAT? Maybe he lied about the incident with Ventura (it's being appealed). What else has he done? Is the left reacting to stuff that wasn't in the book? I read the book twice. OK, the guy got in a few bar fights (unbelievably common in the military, I discouraged it among my kids, but had zero success, I simply could not stop it).

I am agreeing that you have a fair opinion, and what the host was saying was not appropriate. But then again I'm a liberal, so we all think exactly what MSNBC tells us to think....