Getting On With It

"We were deluged by phone calls and messages from across the country, almost unanimously outraged by the cancellation or postponement. [screening of American Sniper]. Members of our faculty, staff, students and alumni, as well as members of our State's legislature, voiced their dismay with UMD's abridgement of this constitutional right."
"A fundamental commitment of any university is to the principle that ideas and opinions that any of us might oppose or find unwelcome or even offensive should be openly and vigorously discussed, not suppressed. [It] is also the responsibility of a university to nurture -- via education and outreach -- an ethos of civility, inclusion, and mutual respect."
Wallace D. Loh, president, University of Maryland

This April 6, 2012, photo, shows Chris Kyle, a former Navy SEAL and author of the book “American Sniper,” in Midlothian, Tex. (Paul Moseley/the Fort Worth Star-Telegram via AP)

The issue is a familiar one. Muslims protesting, attempting to block anything in the media that they interpret as being critical of Islam. Just as over a hundred American writers, members of PEN, felt it incumbent on their sense of political correctness to criticize the decision to honour Charlie Hebdo for its courageous presentation of what it construes as the method whereby it chooses to prick the violence behind Islam, in the face of dire threats, and just as Jyllands-Posten cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad unleashed a collective swell of outraged violence world-wide from Muslims, the scheduled screening of a popular film was cancelled as a result of sanctimonious protests.

Sanctimonious, just as the popularity of hissing "Islamophobia" whenever reports in the news media focus on endemic, vicious violence emanating from dedicated Islamist jihadis wreaking misery and bloodbaths throughout the world, has Muslim student leaders labelling the biographical war drama focusing on Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL, in the hunt for al-Qaeda leaders, as being -- heavens-to-Betsy! -- stereotypical, offensive and violent. By evoking the image of a counter-offensive professional security group as offensively violent, inferring there is no reason to admire the courage and determination it takes to defend against bloody depredations by Islamist jihadis.

Whose major focus is, after all, protecting the human rights of all people, against the unappeasably violent hatred and searing dedication to annihilating all those who defy Islam. But since the focus is on the carnage mounted on the world stage by Medieval-era assassins who triumphantly cry out "Allahu Akbar!", as they bloodily assault the innocent, it sullies the reputation of Islam to bring attention to the obvious. In the process doing harm to the tender sensibilities and self-esteem of campus student Muslims.

American Sniper was set to screen in early May on the university campus by Student Entertainment Events, an independent student group on the campus of the University of Maryland. Until the Muslim Student Association brought SEE's attention to the fact that the MSA considers the film anti-Muslim. The response was swift and fully understanding of plaintive sensitivities; cancellation of the May screening with a notation that it would be screened at a later date, when a full panel debate could be arranged to follow the screening of the 'tainted' film.

When word was spread of the cancellation, the press picked it up, stressing the university's failure to respect the right of free expression. The controversy couldn't be ignored, and it wasn't. It couldn't because there were so many outraged protests that SEE had withdrawn the film for its original screening, reflexively surrendering to political correctness over the free right of expression. And the university's president responded by expressing "tremendous pride in the conduct of our students . . . MSA members were right to speak up for what they believe in. They deserve our admiration.


"I also applaud the student leaders of SEE for listening to the concerns of their fellow students Their decision to reschedule the screening so a constructive dialogue could be held marks the exercise of free speech and a sensitivity to campus values of respect and inclusion." And since two student campus groups, the College Republicans and the College Democrats felt a different solution was called for, arranging to rent a theatre for an American Sniper screening, with a panel discussion to follow, President Loh admired them too.



"I am proud of our College Republicans and College Democrats, working together, despite differences in philosophy and doctrine, is a laudable example for us all", he complimented through his all-inclusive, rose-coloured glasses. Except that differences in philosophy and doctrine have little to do with the universality in Western social life and culture that holds that freedom of speech and expression is an unabraded right that must be protected as a core value.

There are more than enough issues that not everyone agrees with, just as there are modes of entertainment whose expression is not to everyone's taste, and issues of celebratory admiration for U.S. Service members risking everything in the battle against terrorists, that can be engaged in and indulged in, or not, depending on one's perspective. Those valuing the dedication and courage of skilled professionals whose work it is to defend liberty and life, would enjoy the film.

Those who view it through the lens of a religion which has spawned the groups that viciously take life, and who refuse to recognize the connection, have the right not to view the film; they do not have the right to blockade it. By emphasizing hurt feelings and categorizing themselves as vulnerable, they have successfully manipulated the compassion of those who are sensitive to slights imposed on others, as opposed to those who impose death sentences on others.