Salon takes on 'American Sniper's' 'chicken-hawk cheerleaders,' Chris Kyle hero worship

Brett T. | 8:08 PM on February 13, 2015

Thanks primarily to Senator Harry Reid, most Americans can rest easy at night knowing that the country’s cowboy poets are adequately subsidized. Unfortunately, independent writers and musicians don’t always enjoy similar protections and sometimes resort to corporate patrons like Salon to promote their work.

While the New Republic’s critic didn’t bother to see “American Sniper” before penning his harsh critique, it looks as though Salon was able to track down a self-described writer and musician living in Austin, Texas who actually watched the critically acclaimed film. What more is there to be said about “American Sniper,” now that even the hottest take is beginning to stink up the office mini-fridge? The title of Salon’s piece gives some idea.

“American Sniper’s” chicken-hawk cheerleaders: What Clint Eastwood doesn’t understand about bravery and war http://t.co/caVpDisubA

— Salon (@Salon) February 13, 2015

“Perhaps to conservatives, Hollywood is a little short on movies about white supermen stamping out brown evil, but its films almost always reflect favorably on U.S. military might,” writes Kyle Schmidlin, who prefers the more nuanced “Catch-22.” What changed? For one, the draft ended, meaning that “fewer artists are having military experiences to share with us critically. Volunteers likely subscribe to the military’s values before they even sign up and are more receptive to indoctrination, which assures recruits they are the best, brightest, bravest, strongest, noblest people in the world and that their enemy is subhuman scum.”

For what it’s worth, we’re pretty sure that artists are welcome to enlist as well if their desire is to share an accurate view of war from the front lines.

Seems legit RT @Popehat: Salon pays an "Austin-based writer and musician" to lecture on the inadequacies of "American Sniper."

— Michele Frost (@michelelfrost) February 13, 2015