7488000. Independents 2027488002. You can also make your comments via social media cspanwj. Go to facebook to you want to participate that way. Finally, you can send an email to journal cspan. Org. From Time Magazine american sniper screenwriter jason hall says i bled for this thing. American sniper may be quickly stealing the title of the most politically controversial film this oscar season, but screenwriter jason hall maintains he just penned a portrait of a beleaguered soldier, not a political statement. The biopic of chris kyle whorkt navy credits with the most kills in American Military history, broke january records with a whopping 90. 2 million at the box office over the weekend in spite of or perhaps because of critics who say the film glorifies a murderer, not to mention a war america never had any business fighting in the first place. People see the movie poster and its got a good in the American Flag and they know Clint Eastwood directed it, says jason hall, so they think its some jingoistic thing. I would challenge that. Chris kyle was a man who believed in something and who therefore was use to feel a goovet that needed him to go to war t. Cost him his physical health, his mental health, and almost cost him his family. But chris probably would have paid the price over and over again if hed been asked, which is both patriotic and totally tragic. Actor seth rowingen and Michael Moore stoked the controversy over the weekend when they each tweeted what were widely interpreted as criticisms of the film. Rogen wrote, american sniper reminds me of the movie showing in the third act of inglorious bastards, referencing the fictional nazi propaganda film about a german sniper featured in Quentin Tarantinos movie. Meanwhile, moore tweeted that he had always been taught snipers were cowards. Both rogen and moore have backpedaled. Rogen explained in another tweet he actually liked the movie, while moore penned a lengthy Facebook Post praising Bradley Coopers performance as kyle. Does american sniper glorify war . 7488000 for democrats. 7488001 for republicans. 7488002 for independents. In 2012, when his book came out, book tv of cspan interviewed chris kyle. Heres a little bit of that interview. We were in a city ahead of the marines, and we were just trying to soften up some of the locations for them. We werent going to make it safe, but just try to make it, you know asless as possible to add something to it. While in the city, the marines started to approach. The people came out to show that they were supportive of the military. They werent going to fight. And at that time there was a woman that came out, and she had something in her hands. I was watching her. I was relaying back to my chief everything she had when what she was doing. He informed me that it was a chinese grenade and told me i had to take the shot because she started approaching the marines. I at this point id never killed anyone, so it was definitely made me pause, but also the fact that its not a man, it was difficult. So we tried to radio the marines to let them handle it. I didnt want to have to be the one to take the womans life. We couldnt raise them on the radio, so i ended up having to take the shot. But in my mind she was dead anyway. She was either going to kill herself by the grenade being a suicide bomber, or she was going to die by my bullet. And i would rather shoot her than to sit there and watch her blow up the marines. Host and you can watch that full interview at cspan. Org or bookto. Org, just type in the search bar, chris kyle. Its about an hour in length. And he also took calls from viewers during that interview as well. Heres usa today this morning, real american snipers assess american sniper. For all the debate surrounding the movie american sniper, few people know the moral choices involved in the job better than those who trained to pull the trigger. Host lets hear from you. Sandy on our republican line. What do you think about the movie, american sniper . Does it glorify war . Caller thank you for taking my call. No, theres nothing glorious about war. He had a job to do, and did he it very well. Did he it very well. Were still in the war, the war on terror. And because obama pulled out, our troops out of iraq the whole middle east has fallen into collapse. I admire chris kyle. He died at the hands of a soldier that he was trying to help with post Traumatic Stress and theres a lot of controversy around that death whether he was assassinated. But thank you for taking my call. I watch your show every single day. Thank you so much. Host sandy in lexington, kentucky. This is bob in new york city democrat. Bob, youre on the air. Caller hey, thank you for cspan. You do a great job. You know, its one thing to the need to fight wars its another thing the need not to glorify wars in movies. And i think most war movie that is ive ever seen glorify the war. I cant recall that there were during the vietnam war vietnam movies. So i think that its really inappropriate timing for a film like this, because were still not out of it and ultimately our reason for the quagmire being stuck in middle eastern wars is the decision of george bush and dick cheney to choose to interview the fight over there. But thank you, cspan. Host jodie posts on twitter, snipers are heroes. They are ours. If not, theyre the most despicable cowards for sniping our troops. Which is it . Sharon independent cockeysville maryland. Good morning. Caller good morning. Thanks for taking my call. I feel that we have gotten to the point to where we cant even look at a movie that would really show what really happens in a time of war and the emotional and you know, the emotional effects of how people have to deal with being a soldier. Are we so sensitive that we can send everybody into a war, but god forbid we should look at it. And this isnt like when we had the vietnam war. The vietnam war was on our televisions every night. And if you want to blame bush, blame bush. I dont care who you blame. The war is over there. Its not on our streets. And i dont know how you think we could have gone in to afghanistan without covering our back and taking on iraq whether there was, you know, a bomb or something that was the rationale for it at the time. So i think we as americans have to face up to the things that we do and look at it realistically and not be so sensitive that its ok to send our boys over there, but its not ok to watch them kill people. That is war. Host sharon, have you seen the movie yet . Caller yes. Host and . Caller i listen, its a hard movie to watch. But its worthwhile because you get to see it from the snipers familys american perspective. And its it shows you all the different sides of war. It doesnt glorify war. It just tells you what a man had to go through because he was a sniper. Host thank you maam. David in st. Joseph, missouri, republican line. David, good morning. Caller good morning to you. You know isnt it funny how all these people complain about this glorifying war and this evil sniper and all this other garbage, cant take the time to think about how his sacrifice did protect people our troops and us. They dont they dont want to admit it. They dont care because, you know theyre idiots. They just think that soldiers are no good trash. They treat us like trash. They dont care. They dont care. Theyd rather glorify thugs and murderers and you know, the most evil people there is. In their eyes, theyre always the good people and, you know, to heck with us. You know they dont care about people that were killed by terrorists. They wouldnt even have the guts to fight in our own country if they had to fight them here. Yet they can spit on us that serve and try to protect them and their rights, you know . Host thats david in st. Joseph missouri. Michael moore sent out a series of tweets. Here was a followup to his original tweet about being taught that snipers were cowards. My uncle was killed by a sniper, and then he posts on facebook his comments on american sniper and snipers in general. Laura ingraham, the radio talk show host, sent out this tweet, the elites snipe about american sniper because theyre enrage and had envious that a patriotic movie trounced the fringe schlock they celebrate as brave. A couple more comments on twitter host why does the wall street journal lent mize a tax against our soldiers by unamerican extremists like Michael Moore. In the past, the tally of confirmed kills was considered a solemn secret, not something to be hyped or glorified. And finally, edwin says, he was a marine sniper during vietnam and will say it is not something to take lightly. There is no glory in war. Pledge maryland, democrat, please go ahead and make your comment about the american sniper movie. Caller hi. Good morning. Host good morning. Caller i went and saw it, and i liked it as much as you can say you liked a movie about war. I love Clint Eastwoods directing, the cinematography was just outstanding. It was riveting from start to finish. Host does it glorify war in your view . Caller no, i dont believe it does. Its a story. Its a story again, well told in Clint Eastwoods famous style. Its hard to say you like it because it had some somewhat graphic spots, but not overly, and it was very heartfelt. Host matt in new york. What do you think . Caller yes, good morning. Having been a veteran during the vietnam war and being spit on at Chicago Ohare Airport and called a baby killer i dont think this glory fries war at all. If Michael Moore knew anything about the history of this country, he would know we fought an unconventional war with snipers against the british. And if we wouldnt have had those snipers against the british, we might not be here talking like we are. So i dont think it glory fries war. It gives our point of view, and i think Michael Moore is a total coward having never served his country. Host donna is in rome, new york, independent line. Donna, youre on the washington journal. Caller good morning. Thank you for cspan. I just saw the movie last night, as a matter of fact. I came away truly humbled. I hope thaverpb comments with b this movie has seen it first, because i dont think that its fair not to have seen it first. It definitely does not glorify war t. Shows the agonizing choices that these men have to make and have to come home and live with. I was glad to see that he had gotten himself straightened around after he did come home t. Took an even more strong man to admit that he needed some help. The one lady said it was just a story. Well, i dont think she really meant it that way. It was a personal story of this individual, and there was a particularly poignant moment when a child picked up a gun and it looked like a grenade launcher, and he had to, you know you were right there with him and drawn into that moment, and your heart was in your throat, and your eyes welled one tears, just as he was really doing having to hoping not to make an agonizing choice and in the end, again you see the brutality of it, but the reality of it. And again, i thank you for letting me share my view. Host thank you, donna. And this is elenas story in time, a little bit more the screenwriter petched a for traste a man deeply changed by war and was struggling to spiritually return to the person he had once again. A pitch that eventually convinced Bradley Cooper to buy the rights. Hall had met chris kyle before the books publication in 2010 and after years of talking with kyle decided that the soldier had been more affected by his high body count than he let onto the public. It wasnt until after kyles death that hall learned more about what he calls the seals softer side. Kyle dedicated his postwar life to helping his fellow veterans. He started a business that installed exercise equipment inside veterans homes and even began spending time in small groups with veterans who needed to talk about their problems. He would often take these men out to shooting ranges where they could bond and talk to them about their struggles with finding jobs, reacclimating to family life and ptsd. It was on one of these trips that kyle was killed by a marine who he was trying to help. And again, cspan conducted an interview with chris kyle in 2012, and you can watch that full interview about his book, american sniper, online at cspan. Org. Edward, manchester connecticut, good morning. Caller thank you for letting me talk again. This is something for everyone to think about, and its pretty serious. America was supposed to be the one chance to change the world peacefully through our example as americans as to how united we all are together and how well off we all are, so that when people from other nations come to visit us in our nation and see how united we are together as one and how well off we all are doing, working together rather than competing amongst each other for crumbs that fall off the table of the white house then maybe when these people that visit our nation go back home to their nation, it might climb up their dictators doorstep, knock on the door and say, hey, man we need to talk. Host next call from frank in egg harbor township, new jersey. Frank, youre on the washington journal. What do you want top share . Quhoip i was in vietnam caller when i was in vietnam on this one particular assignment that we had, i was taken back to the area and i had to qualify with a sniper rifle, and i carried it for three weeks on this one mission up in the valley. When i did finally get the open shot, you know, i just didnt want to take the shot, because i know how it feels when youre looking through a sandope you realize that the person at the other end just has cant defend themself, and then this thought runs through your head, man, im just killing this person and sometimes you just have to come to grips with it. Im sure that this guy, kyle he had a lot of demons that he had to face every time he killed somebody and knew that there was no defense for them. There was things that happened in vietnam that when you kill somebody, even if its a good kill, and theyre trying to kill you its kind of hard to deal with. Every time that they send these kids to war you know, theyre destroying thousands of kids minds. This is a big problem, it was a big problem for us guys coming back from vietnam, and im sure its a big problem for these guys because theyre stuck around civilians even more than we were. You know, he wasnt with civilians very often. We were always in the mountains. I really feel for the guy. I know where hes coming from. Host frank, did you see the movie . Caller ive seen parts of it. I havent seen the whole movie yet. Ive read the articles on him. Ive seen clips of him speaking and stuff. He seems like he was, you know, just a good old boy just like the rest of us that was doing his job. You get stuck, and theres a mission. If you dont do your part in the mission, somebodys going to get hurt, so he was just doing what he had to do, and thats what war is all about. Youre forced into situations that normally you wouldnt even take on. You know, you never even think of doing, but when youre part of a machine you know, the machine is only as strong as the weakest cog, and you have to participate. Host thank you, sir. On twitter, you couldnt pay me enough to watch this vile movie. Carol, ohio, democrat. Hi, carol. Caller thank you for cspan. I havent seen the movie yet but from what ive seen of the clips, i dont think it was glorified. I have a comment about my uncle. He was in the second world war. He was an 18yearold from the mountains of north carolina. When he went hunting, he would kill a squirrel in the eye, hit it with his rifle. So he became a sniper. And he suffered for it the rest of his life, because he was moody. He had bouts of depression. He was hard to get along with sometimes. So ptsd was a long time ago. Every person that ever went through a war has had to face their demons. Thank you. Host thank you, maam. Dennis in the new republic had this article the real american sniper had no remorse about the iraqis he killed. Heres a little bit of what today write for him, the enemy are savages and despicablely evil. His only regret is that he didnt kill more. He laments that there were rules of engagement, or r. O. E. , which he describes as being drafted by lawyers to protect generals from politicians. He argues instead for letting warriors loose to fight wars without their hands tied behind their backs. Yolanda is in mansfield, ohio, republican. Yolanda, youre on the washington journal. Caller hi, yes, i saw the movie. And it really in no way glorified war. It was hard to watch. When i saw the horrors over there a little bit. My grandson had spent a year in afghanistan. He had joined the guard, the national guard, right after high school. He wanted to get his education. And the year was hard, very hard. My heart goes out to all these soldiers and what they go through, and i just have one more comment. I regret that i didnt hear the president say much at all about our soldiers while he was touting about all these people who should be paid more than minimum wage. How about our soldiers get a raise . Host have you talked to your grandson about the movie american sniper . Caller he doesnt want to see it at all. Host thank you, maam. Curtis is in georgia, independent line. Go ahead, curtis. Caller good morning. Thank you for taking my call. One of the things that we do have to remember is, im not going to glorify Michael Moore and what his comments are, but you know, i dont agree with him one bit but we do have to say he is an american citizen, and he has the right to say whatever he wants, be it we like it or not. I dont like hardly anything he says. As far as war being glorified its not. I spent 2 years in there. That is 21 years in there. That is what marines are trained to do. Nobody wants to do it, nobody wants to have to pull that trigger. But there comes a time when you have to say its either the enemy or me, and i want to come home, so im not afraid to buy he was not afraid to pull the trigger. Now, as far as the american sniper, i have not seen it. I am going to see it. But, you know, i want a guy like that on the rooftop, you know looking over my soldiers and taking care of me. And god bless him and his family and, you know, god bless america. Host independent journalist tweeted out, american sniper portrays iraqi women and children as soulless monsters who chris kyle is forced to kill to protect invading u. S. Soldiers. John, franklin tennessee whats your view of american sniper . . Caller i havent seen the movie, and i probably wont go see it. Im of the opinion that they make movies to make money, you know . They have to sell tickets right . Host why wont you go see it, john . Caller well, ive seen enough movies about war. I was on my couch watching television when they showed the i think it was the chief of police or s