The University of Michigan has decided not to screen Clint Eastwood’s controversial American Sniper, which stars Bradley Cooper as the late Chris Kyle, at an upcoming event. Muslim and Arab students pushed for the screening to be canceled and school officials agreed to do so, but not without starting more controversy.
Several hundred students signed a letter to the Center for Campus Involvement, asking that the Oscar-winning film be pulled from the UMix schedule. Then on Tuesday, the office posted a statement to Facebook announcing that the film will not be shown.
“Student reactions have clearly articulated that this is neither the venue nor the time to show this movie,” the statement reads. “Therefore, 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.”
However, as The Detroit Free Press notes, the decision sparked a petition that accused the university of censoring the film.
“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,” the petition read in part. “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.”
After that outcry, the Center for Campus Involvement posted another statement today on Facebook, revealing that it will indeed screen Sniper at a different UMix event “ in a forum that provides an appropriate space for dialogue and reflection. More information will be provided as details are confirmed.”
The film was directed by Eastwood and nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor, and won for Sound Editing. Cooper plays Kyle, who served in the Iraq War and had the most confirmed kills in U.S. history for a sniper. Sniper had also sparked controversy when it became a box office hit in January due to its portrayal of the war and Iraqis.
image of ‘American Sniper’ star Bradley Cooper courtesy of INFphoto.com