After a Day of Controversy, U of M will show ‘American Sniper’

The University of Michigan has reversed its decision not to show American Sniper after several hundred students protested showing the film during a UMix event.

The protests set off a media firestorm yesterday, after student Lamees Mekkaoui complained that it made her uncomfortable and promotes anti-Arab and anti-Muslim sentiments.

A letter was signed by a couple of hundred students, which was led by the university's Center for Campus Involvement. The backlash that followed cited unnecessary censorship, with a petition saying the following: "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. Students should be trusted to interact responsibly on a movie no different than any other film depicting the lives of the troops at war, such as Saving Private Ryan."

The movie will be shown at its original location and time this weekend, with an alternative movie being shown as well. You can read the University's official announcement about it HERE, calling the decision to cancel the movie a "mistake."

Interesting response from the University, but I can see both sides of it. I'm not a fan of war movies in general, so if it were up to me, I wouldn't go see it. But that's the point: we all have the choice. What do you think?