There are lots of things making news these days. The ISIS terrorists are threatening to kill another Japanese hostage unless Japan pays a ransom. They are also holding a Jordanian fighter pilot and there are rumors the ISIS want to trade him for a female suicide bomber being held after her explosive device failed to detonate. The National Football League is preparing for the NFL Championship game which will be over by the time this is printed, but "inflate-gate" will continue to keep the NFL in the news. My guess is the amount of air missing from the New England footballs in their win over the Indianapolis Colts is being exaggerated to keep the Super Bowl hype going.
And, if those items aren't enough to fill the newspapers and air waves, consider the Oscar-nominated movie "American Sniper" which offers enough controversy to stretch even the television news/talk show outlets. This movie has produced about $300 million in box office/TV outlet revenue and almost that much in value for news purposes.
I haven't seen the movie and probably won't until it has run its course and wins enough awards that I am compelled to see it. However, the advertisements on television with the short clips and the pictures of the author of the book in full military gear are enough to draw almost anyone into the controversy.
Clint Eastwood is responsible for the movie which is based on a book of that title written by a Navy Seal, Chris Kyle, about his experiences as a sniper (American Sniper: The Autobiography of The Most Lethal Sniper in U. S. Military History). Snipers are not new to war. If you research a little bit about the Revolutionary War, you will find American snipers were instrumental in defeating the British. A man named Timothy Murphy was credited with fatally wounding the British General Simon Fraser at the Battle of Bemis Heights in 1777 affecting the out come of that battle. Author John Brick recorded Murphy's life in his 1953 book "The Rifleman." Murphy was one of several hundred marksmen in a group reported to be called Morgan's Men. (There are some interesting stories regarding snipers if you want to research the history on Google or at the library.)
The Civil War had a Southern sniper named Jack Hinson who waged his "One Man War" against the North. A book was written using that title by retired Marine Lt. Colonel Tom McKenny. (This information was also found on the internet.)
There is also an older movie "Enemy at the Gates" (2001) about a Russian Sniper's effect on the Germans' moral as they tried to take Stalingrad during World War II. It points out the obvious uses for snipers in war by detailing (fictional perhaps) the encounter between Russia's top sniper and his German counterpart.
But this new movie, and Chris Kyle's book, have brought a great deal of attention to the personal life of Kyle as well as the realities of war. As a sniper, Kyle is reported to have 160 confirmed "kills" and claims an additional 95 unconfirmed. There is no way to determine the number of lives that might have been saved by his actions. If an enemy is killed trying to plant a bomb, how do you determine how many lives it saved?
One of the most visible and perhaps vocal critics is a writer, television producer and liberal activist, Michael Moore. You might have heard his comment. He is quoted as saying all snipers are "cowards." This is an individual who has, like all of us, benefited from the actions of our military all over the world. There is not much indication in his resume and information on Internet websites, that he has any military background. I could find no evidence of college ROTC or any connection that he has experienced any time in uniform, so it is hard to get too upset at his comments except to assume his opinions have no personal experience to warrant our attention.
It is difficult for me to even try to determine how difficult it must be to make some of the decisions a sniper must make based on my very limited knowledge. The scene in the brief television ad showing Kyle watching a woman and a boy through the crosshairs of a rifle scope is as close as I would need to get. But, we need to have understanding that it must take a toll on the individual and he (they) should get our respect for their contribution to our safety here at home. We need to ignore the Michael Moores.
The whole purpose of this is simply to ask people to think about what it takes for us to enjoy the freedom we take for granted. Snipers are a part of the effort and in this case get a lot of attention. We need to be aware of the fact that many police departments also have qualified marksmen for emergency needs.
The sheer growth of the weapon system -- rifle, scope, ammunition, etc. -- is fascinating and seems too incredible for a non-hunter like me to comprehend. When an experienced shooter can hit a target from 1,800 yards, I am impressed. And, I'm thankful I don't have to do that, but grateful for those who can do it when necessary.
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Editor's note: Leo Lynch is an award-winning columnist. He is a native of Benton County has deep roots in northwest Arkansas. He is a retired industrial engineer and former Justice of the Peace. He can be contacted at [email protected].
Editorial on 02/04/2015