At least one Navy SEAL leader says ongoing criticism leveled at the blockbuster film "American Sniper" is only serving to honor the work of brave fighters, including the film's subject, Chris Kyle.
Writing in
The Wall Street Journal, author and Navy SEAL Reserves Commander Rorke Denver says comments made by film director Michael Moore and actor Seth Rogen, among others, have effectively backfired — and actually are an honor to the slain patriot and others in the military who have fought gallantly for their right to speak their minds.
"My fellow special-operations brothers might be shocked, but I think the comments by Messrs. Rogen and Moore have had the ironic effect of honoring Chris Kyle’s memory," Denver wrote in an opinion piece published by the Journal on Monday.
"They inadvertently paid Chris a tribute that joins the Texas funeral procession and 'American Sniper' book sales and box office in testifying to the power of his story."
Denver went on to add: "I witnessed the exceptional performance of SEAL, Army and Marine snipers on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. They struck psychological fear in our enemies and protected countless lives."
But the real power of the military is in America's Constitution, Denver wrote, adding that the First Amendment is why Kyle did his job fighting for liberty — and protecting the very "whiny" and "ill-informed" opinions leveled against him by the Hollywood elites.
"It is what men like Chris Kyle fight and die for. It is what I immediately think of when someone burns a flag, shouts some [a] hateful remark during a protest or criticizes the men and women who have volunteered for military service and willingly go into harm’s way," Denver wrote.
He added: "When Seth Rogen and Michael Moore exercise this right, it is a tribute to those who serve."
In spite of the celebrity criticism, "American Sniper" is expected to earn about $216 million through the end of this week,
The Hollywood Reporter said, putting it on track to become the most successful war film of all time.
Last weekend's box office take of $64.3 million marked "the biggest non-debut-weekend in history for an R-rated film,"
Forbes said.
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