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It’s a tale of two films. Back in 2009, this university and the state Senate were embroiled in a controversy regarding the planned on-campus showing of a pornographic film titled Pirates II: Stagnetti’s Revenge. This small gathering on this university’s property quickly attracted the ire of state senators, who threatened to withdraw university funding unless the screening was canceled.
Critics of the senators’ ultimatum believed any possible action from the state Senate would violate their right to freedom of speech, which is protected by the First Amendment. But this university relented under the pressure from the Senate and canceled the showing. However, the film was still screened on the campus by a group of students. The event attracted about 200 people, including lawyers and American Civil Liberties Union representatives.
Some say history repeats itself, and they might be correct. However, facts and circumstances tend to change. On April 22, Student Entertainment Events, a student-led organization, announced that it had canceled its showing of the film American Sniper.
Directed by Clint Eastwood, American Sniper follows the story of Chris Kyle, an accomplished Navy SEAL sniper who served four tours during the Iraq War. Many have praised the film for its realism — that war is always fought on two fronts, one abroad and one domestically.
Kyle struggled to find peace at home while raising children with his wife until he began volunteering for an organization that aimed to help veterans with physical injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder acclimate back into society. Unfortunately, Kyle’s life was cut short by a man who suffered from PTSD and schizophrenia during an outing at a shooting range.
Critics of the film argue that it is American propaganda that racially antagonizes and dehumanizes Muslims. Chris Kyle described in his memoir that he did not “give a flying f— about the Iraqis” and that he “hate[d] the damn savages.”
Despite the controversy surrounding the film, American Sniper was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards and has grossed more than $500 million globally, becoming the most successful war-themed film of all time.
Likely in recognition of the popularity of the film and the relevancy of the issues it addresses, SEE scheduled two screenings of the film in May. However, these screenings have been postponed until the fall semester.
The Muslim Student Association, backed by more than 300 petition signatures, protested to have SEE pull its planned screenings of American Sniper. They called the film “war propaganda guised as art” that is “Islamaphobic [sic], violent, and racist.” They believe the movie makes a “mockery” of negative stereotypes that permeate many communities and that its showing would only reinforce those sentiments.
In its cancellation notice, SEE wrote that it “supports freedom of expression and hopes to create space for the airing of opposing viewpoints and differing perceptions.” How exactly is freedom of expression supported when a film screening is censored?
Silencing expression was one of the main criticisms of the 2009 university’s 2009 funding hostage crisis. Then, the state Senate’s threat to withhold this university’s funding if this university did not cancel the screening of Pirates II likely would have been met with a First Amendment constitutional challenge in the courts. However, because SEE is a student-led organization, it is allowed to show and cancel screenings whenever it pleases.
Despite this, SEE’s decision not to screen American Sniper runs counter to the guiding principles underlying the First Amendment. These principles include the free flow and exchange of ideas.
Forums that allow for public discourse are coveted and endorsed by the Supreme Court, especially on college campuses, where many students experience their first dose of diversity. Here, that principle has been curbed and silenced, likely out of fear of demonstration and protest. However, such protest is also part of the democratic process.
SEE should have shown it truly supports freedom of expression by screening American Sniper as it originally intended. It could have followed these screenings with a discussion “to start having these hard conversations” regarding racial stereotypes. Instead, these conversations have been kicked down the road in favor of placating members of the student body. This does little to solve the problem of racial stereotyping that the Muslim Student Association wishes to address.
Justin Greer is a second-year law student at the University of Maryland School of Law in Baltimore. He can be reached at justin.greer@umaryland.edu
