American Sniper

[frank13]

I've dealt with people spewing garbage like that, myself. I just walk away. There's simply no point in engaging people like that in conversation, or even dignifying their crap with any sort of response. I am not going to change their minds and they have a right to their opinions, even if they really have no idea what they are talking about.

 

[wyfbane]

1st huge props to us as a group for this making 2 pages without shutting down.
2nd while he was a total class act, he was a man and a navy seal. He may have had very strong, classy words for moore and MSNBC. Sort of like the CMH recipient Dakota Meyer. He takes issue with people that act a fool in the media in ways he deems unAmerican. lol

 

[bulldogbriar89]

Mark I deal with people like that all the time also and if I feel like talking to them is a waist of time I will not even bother, but this guy just needed to be put in his place.
wyf I am shocked we made it to a 2ed page

 

[toby67]

God bless America and all of the brave men and women who have suffered in her defense. It is ironic that the veterans that are being insulted by some people are the same type of American heroes that these people depend upon to defend their right of free speech.

What about us Aussies who are always at your sides every time we go to war.
How about we simply reword that and say "God bless all soldiers who answer the call of their country and their allies and die to defend the honour of Country and Allie."

 

[warren]

toby: Great point! Some of us tend to forget that we didn't get where we are today by going it alone.
I was in more than one bar brawl with an "Aussie" or two. Sometimes we were even on the same side of the fracas. You guys did your fair share in Nam and I thank each and every one.

 

[fnord]

Truly amazed to find this thread still open.
@Lordnoble: Jason, you're a stud hoss for letting this post run it's course. Maybe everybody weighing in really is getting better at playing nice. Thank you for keeping the hairy eyeball on the tone and allowing more than a little leeway.
@Lordofthepipering: You made one of the more salient, walkaway comments - in a thread quickly going south - by writing, "I also think you can have a lot of respect for those who served in those wars you didn't think the nation should've entered."
You know something, Bulldogbriar89? Shouting down that EMO puke in front of the theater was avoidable. Bite your lip next time. Brass up and move your significant other towards the car. Guys like Kyle paid the price so assholes like him can say whatever they like.
I live in Topeka, KS: hometown of the Phelps clan and the Westboro Baptist Church. (If you don't know them, give'em a Google. They're certainly entertaining.)
I was walking into our Episcopal parish several years ago, picketed by the Westboro Baptist Church, with my sons and I turned to Ben and said, "You're willing to put it on the line for these assholes?"
His response? "I sure am, Pops."
Ben will graduate in a few months from the University of Kansas and, two days later, will be commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the USMC. Within 12 to 14 months he will be in a combat zone. I pray daily that he'll return whole: physically and mentally.
So, I do have skin in this game. One of my kids will stand the wall. And he'll do it for all of the crybabies, EMOs, Westboro jacked up Baptists, Liberal, Conservative handwringers out there. BBD89 started this post as a tribute to Chris Kyle and I really get it. This wonderful country of our will always support the right to disagree.
Fnord

 

[dervis]

Just watched the movie last night. Very good all around. Great message, explaining a situation, without being dry and boring.

 

[newbroom]

http://rudepundit.blogspot.com/2015/01/i-dont-give-fuck-its-your-house.html

 

[bulldogbriar89]

Toby I hold all men and woman who served their country in very high regards.

 

[toby67]

I hold all soldiers who have seen action in high regard also as their fight extends beyond their tour of duty. It's one they fight for a lifetime and God bless them all for the freedom we (as a generation) abuse because of their actions. No country did it alone, all had allies that stood at their sides throughout it all and strengthened the bonds of the nations at their sides.
Never let their actions be forgotten

Remember always their contributions

Lest we forget

 

[fnord]

Timothy:
I wrote a response to that rudepundit review and then, within a dozen heartbeats, erased it.
Just turn the other cheek and drive on.
What do you like to smoke, pard? I'm an English whore and it would please me to send you a couple of bowls of smoke that are well under the radar.
Fnord

 

[fnord]

Toby:
Well said.
You wrote, "What about us Aussies who are always at your sides every time we go to war."
The U.S. hasn't started a fight since 1945 where a flock of snowbirds from Canada and a gang of hooligans from ANZAC haven't shown up.
"Never let their actions be forgotten

Remember always their contributions

Lest we forget "
Pure class, Toby.
Thank you,
Fnord

 

[ssjones]

@rsuninv: I've heard that if you like the book, you won't like the movie - but you seemed to enjoy both. I have the book in my Kindle - do you recommend viewing the movie first or reading the book?

 

[pipestud]

One of my favorite quotes -
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)
American Sniper was as intense a movie as I have ever seen. Eastwood totally captured the essence of "a good man."
I highly recommend this movie.
Pipestud

 

[pipestud]

And to Peck - It's ALWAYS the briar, pardner. ALWAYS the briar.
Pipestud

 

[johnnyreb]

Unless Jane Fonda is posting anonymously here I think we all hold the men & women who have served their country including those of our allies in high regard & owe them our debt of gratitude. I have not read the book or seen the movie and likely won't because of what I call the "spin factor". It's not a documentary of what happened; it's entertainment spun if for no other reason than for that value. One should always keep that in mind.
I do think we sometimes go overboard thanking veterans for there service especially when looking back to the days of the draft before all service became voluntary, and making it a point to thank a draftee who sat behind a desk as a clerk for 2 yrs never being exposed to combat or putting his/her life on the line as a combat soldier; never working long hours under horrendous conditions as a surgeon, nurse or similar job in the medical corp, etc. it is the combat soldiers & medical corp whose lives were possibly changed forever who really deserve our grattitude & thanks; not some Radar O'reilly supply clerk. In today's all volunteer army maybe that should be looked at differently, I'm not sure. JMO; YMMV.

 

[thehappypiper]

I've never understood this desire to portray every man or woman who has ever been in the army as inherently good, heroic and moral. Are all Primary school teachers angels? The need to maintain a military force is a regrettable fact of life, not something to be celebrated. And given the number of times it has been used for ill, one does have to wander how exactly governments still get volunteers. It would be different if the enemy were at the gates. But to enlist when one knows for a fact that they will be required to kill to further the needless, amoral political machinations of this or that administration is quite bafling.

 

[warren]

Some are more easily baffled than others. It's easy to understand, there are warriors and there are those who live peacefully because of the deeds of the warriors. Without the warriors life would be much different in the "free world."
Again, war and not peace is the natural state of things. A country better be willing to defend its way of life or it will live a vastly different life. "Good Wars" versus "Bad Wars?" I don't know that there is such a thing as a "good war." Wars are usually fought only after the compromisers have screwed it up. WWII is a prime example. The American Civil War is another.
Today's wars have no well defined "front" or "rear." The events 11 September demonstrated that very well. Just remember that you are living the live you're are moving through because of the actions of many warriors over many generations.
Movies do not always portray the soldier as a hero. Apocalypse Now now comes to mind.
Your current life style is only possible because of the actions of many fighters, no matter where you live. And most particularly, whether your side won or lost.

 

[daveinlax]

one does have to wander how exactly governments still get volunteers.

Pay and benefits. For many of my children's friends who've joined the military in the last 3/4 years it was there best choice.

I've seen all of the Best Picture and acting nominated movies and Birdman would be my pick. I found Foxcatcher far more intense and unsettling than Sniper. 8O

 

[indianafrank]

johnnyreb - "I do think we sometimes go overboard thanking veterans for there service especially when looking back to the days of the draft before all service became voluntary, and making it a point to thank a draftee who sat behind a desk as a clerk for 2 yrs never being exposed to combat or putting his/her life on the line as a combat soldier; never working long hours under horrendous conditions as a surgeon, nurse or similar job in the medical corp, etc. it is the combat soldiers & medical corp whose lives were possibly changed forever who really deserve our grattitude & thanks; not some Radar O'reilly supply clerk. In today's all volunteer army maybe that should be looked at differently, I'm not sure. JMO; YMMV."
I lost many friends during the Vietnam war. One close friend worked in supply at an airfield in Vietnam. He was a non-combat soldier. He was a Radar O Reilly type. During one of the hundreds of attacks on that airfield he was killed. Every time I visit the Vietnam Memorial in D.C. to pay respects to him, to all vets, and to the many who I grew up with, I cry like a baby.
Non hostile and or combat support casualties, are listed on that wall. Some were drafted, some volunteered. The fact that clerks, supply workers, or the GI's who worked in the motor pool, that were killed, and that are listed on that wall, is all the proof I need to honor all vets.
The USAF was known as a support group during the Vietnam war. They were part of maintenance, supply, clerks, etc. And yet more than 2500 of those Airmen lost their lives.