Dave Workman worries that as ‘American Sniper’ soars, critics will zero on ‘gun culture.’
While American movie-goers are making “American Sniper” a box office record-breaker, critics are sniping back, taking all manner of shots at the film, and one might wonder whether some of this distaste is perhaps due to a subconscious reaction to the central core of the film: the story of a man who was remarkably proficient with a rifle.
How long before anti-gunners start pushing to regulate “sniper rifles,” which might be that bolt-action deer hunting rifle in the gun cabinet, the one with the black or camouflage composite synthetic stock and a scope sight? Such rifles fire cartridges that are far more powerful, and certainly more lethal to big game animals, at greater distances than the so-called “high power assault rifles” panned at every opportunity by the mainstream press.
Personally, I can think of no more wonderful outcome than if the movie prompts the firearm prohibitionists to go after deer rifles. They mess with Elmer Fudd at their peril and frankly the Fudds could stand being reminded that we are all guests at this disarmament party.
I finally saw the movie the other day and my reactions were much as I had expected. There have been a lot of explanations about why this is a Rorschach test of the two different worldviews currently vying for dominance in this country, but I think I have a much simpler reason why collectivists like Michael Moore condemn the movie, often without seeing it.
The reason is hardly intellectual nor is it academic — they feel the crosshairs on their own necks. They understand that sooner or later this appetite of theirs for other people’s liberty and property and lives is going to come down to a test of firepower and marksmanship. They prefer to believe (without much evidence) that as long as Obama is in the White House that the firepower is on their side. But what they understand subconsciously is that firepower and numbers can be negated by properly targeted, accurate marksmanship. This is why Diane Feinstein is always going on about .50 caliber rifles being able to shoot through limousines and aircraft — because that is where SHE lives.
Oh yes, the explanation is simple and visceral — the notion of a young deer hunter becoming a skilled killing machine targeted at THEM, well, that is something that they fear above all things. No wonder they loathe American Sniper. In fact, I think I’ll go see it again just to say I did. 😉
The Grey Enigma 