University Replaced ‘American Sniper’ After Students Felt Unsafe Then Reinstates After Bigger Backlash

Brad Fox | April 8, 2015
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The University of Michigan decided against showing “American Sniper” after 300 students and others complained the film perpetuates, “negative and misleading stereotypes” of Muslims.

The College Fix reports the signers were mostly students, some staff, and included the Muslim Students’ Association and the president of Students Allied for Freedom and Equality, a Palestinian solidarity group.

The online memo, titled a “collective letter from Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) and Muslim students on campus,” accused the public university of “tolerating dangerous anti-Muslim and anti-MENA propaganda” by showing the movie, the highest grossing film of 2014. Also in the letter:

“Although we respect the right to freedom of speech, we believe that with this right comes responsibility: responsibility of action, intention, and outcome. The movie ‘American Sniper’ not only tolerates but promotes anti-Muslim and anti-MENA (Middle Eastern and North African) rhetoric and sympathizes with a mass killer.”

The letter says that Chris Kyle is a racist and say, “this movie is provocative and unsafe to MENA and Muslim students who are too often reminded of how little the media and world values their lives.”

The Center for Campus Involvement spoke for the University saying:

“While our intent was to show a film, the impact of the content was harmful, and made students feel unsafe and unwelcomed at our program.”

The movie that was going to replace  “American Sniper” was “Paddington Bear,” a  PG-movie about a stuffed animals misadventures. 

“We have elected to pull the film from this week’s program and screen another movie in its place that we believe better creates the fun, engaging atmosphere we seek, without excluding valued members of our community,” the Center for Campus Involvement  stated.

A second petition started to make rounds that accused the University censorship. The counter movement to show the movie was greatly aided by their football coach:

The Detroit Free Press received word from a University Spokesman, Rick Fitzgerald, that they would be rescheduling the movie at a yet-to-be-determined date with "an appropriate educational panel discussion." 

Although it was first reported "American Sniper" would be screened at another venue and time, the latest from The Vice President for Student life says  it will now be shown at the regular venue and time and "Paddington Bear" will be shown at the same time, but at a different location. 

Vice President  E Royster Harper also said this about the situation: 

“It was a mistake to cancel the showing of the movie ‘American Sniper’ on campus as part of a social event for students. The initial decision to cancel the movie was not consistent with the high value the University of Michigan places on freedom of expression and our respect for the right of students to make their own choices in such matters. The movie will be shown at the originally scheduled time and location. We recognize, however, that some students are uncomfortable with the content of the movie, and appreciate that concern.”

 Rachel Jankowski, who started the counter peition to show "American Sniper" said:

“If the University prevents a movie like this from being shown, it promotes intolerance and stifles dialogue and debate on the subject and goes directly against the atmosphere UMix purports to provide. As adults at a public university, we should have the option to view this movie if we so choose and have the opportunity to engage on the topics it presents to come to our own conclusions on the subjects.”

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