Michael Moore creates controversy about American Sniper

By Tribute on January 19, 2015 | 4 Comments

American movie director Michael Moore is no stranger to controversy. Just watch his movies Bowling For Columbine or Fahrenheit 9/11. However, now Moore is in the hot seat due to Clint Eastwood‘s American Sniper.

American Sniper is a war-drama about United States Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. Kyle is said to be the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history with 166 kills out of a possible 255.

Moore made headlines after tweets he posted (scroll down to see tweets) went viral and caused social media uproar. In response to the criticism about what he wrote, Moore went on to post that he “never tweeted 1word bout AmericanSniper/ChrisKyle.” Moore also took to Facebook to address the topic in a lengthy post that includes:

Lots of talk about snipers this weekend (the holiday weekend of a great man, killed by a sniper), so I thought I’d weigh in with what I was raised to believe about snipers. My dad was in the First Marine Division in the South Pacific in World War II. His brother, my uncle, Lawrence Moore, was an Army paratrooper and was killed by a Japanese sniper 70 years ago next month. My dad always said, “Snipers are cowards. They don’t believe in a fair fight. Like someone coming up from behind you and coldcocking you. Just isn’t right. It’s cowardly to shoot a person in the back. Only a coward will shoot someone who can’t shoot back.”

Addressing the criticism, he went on to add: So here’s what I think about “American Sniper”:

Awesome performance from Bradley Cooper. One of the best of the year. Great editing. Costumes, hair, makeup superb!

Oh… and too bad Clint gets Vietnam and Iraq confused in his storytelling. And that he has his characters calling Iraqis “savages” throughout the film. But there is also anti-war sentiment expressed in the movie. And there’s a touching ending…

Most of us were taught the story of Jesse James and that the scoundrel wasn’t James (who was a criminal who killed people) but rather the sniper who shot him in the back. I think most Americans don’t think snipers are heroes.

Hopefully not on this weekend when we remember that man in Memphis, Tennessee, who was killed by a sniper’s bullet.

American Sniper is Eastwood’s biggest opening debut, raking in $119 million so far and just over $90 million in its debut weekend. ~Sandra D. Sukraj

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

Michael Moore (@MMFlint) January 18, 2015

Oh, and Iraqis are called “savages” throughout the film. Michael Moore (@MMFlint) January 19, 2015

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1. David Baillie • January 19, 2015 @ 4:42 PM

   Didnt like michael moores comment that snipers are cowards-i think he is failing to recognize and appreciate the number of lives that were saved as a result of this individual-of course i do agree though that there really are no winners in a war.

2. Susan Dixon • January 20, 2015 @ 1:08 AM

   I agee with David Baillie.

   Now,In civilian life I regard a sniper a coward.

3. dj • January 22, 2015 @ 3:44 PM

   WAR is WAR not glamourous not exciting, I don’t think anyone in war wins . is anyone a coward ? Personally any one that straps explosives to their bodies is a coward . Each individual has a part to play in the war they were sent to be in. But not having been there I have no right to call any personnel a coward.

   To me the movie was more about the mental state of the solders returning .
   How does one return to middle America/Canada to apple pie and cookies after the exposure to such ugliness? My family was fortunate as my father returned from the second world war, compartmentalized his military service and never brought to life again but that cannot be said for so many more.
   For those sitting on their high horse judging your time might be better spent trying to help the injured mentally and physically challenger that they may return to some sense of normalcy.

4. nick • January 22, 2015 @ 5:23 PM

   I guess Moore must find that there is a NICE way to kill and a not nice. I doubt it matters to the victim. If you say a sniper is a coward because the victim cannot fight back . Nuts, if you use this argument then all proud fighters who dropped bombs from bombers or set up bombs are cowards. So would units that heavily outnumbers a smaller unit, so would artillery personnel, gunners on ships shelling the shore or smaller ships. What about tanks against foot soldiers? What about machine gunners vs small arms soldiers? The ideal of noble fighting went out with the knights of old. War is hell and there is only one real objective and that is to win without being a war criminal, of course even that does not matter if you win.

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