I watched American Sniper. As a Vietnam Vet 5th Special Forces, Detachment B-36, 3rd Mobile Strike Force , I understood the issues facing Chris on his experiences transitioning from a violent battlefield to repatriation to a personal life. People who have no personal experience other than their political bias can never empathize with the human drama of those who faced violence and risk of death. Political ideology and religious belief is not a moral compass for independent thinking or judging a persons character. On further looking into Chris Kyle, Id like to make note that it is difficult for many Veterans to switch from a deployment in combat to a home environment where people are unsuspecting of any danger in a day or two of travel, and this was demonstrated by Chris inability to communicate with his wife. Much of Chris claims and statements are a denial of the guilt and mental conflict he actually was experiencing. The lesson we should draw from American Sniper is not a political message; it is the message of repatriating veterans, or military on rotation, their need for support to clear their mind, and adjust to a non-combat environment. The significant number of veterans who have joined armed right-wing patriot groups are hanging on to their combat mindset, only fantasizing the US government as the enemy they will have to fight. It is difficult for a person who learns survival fear to relinquish that fear, and the fear that the government is going to take your gun (security) away from you. The NRA and other gun rights organizations take advantage of this condition to promote the sale of guns and increase membership. It is a dangerous and volatile mental and emotional condition that has social and political consequences if not mitigated.
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 03:14:47 +0000
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