The University of Michigan has reversed its decision to cancel a screening of “American Sniper” after provoking massive backlash and prompting students to circulate a petition on campus accusing the school of censorship.
“It was a mistake to cancel the showing of the movie ‘American Sniper’ on campus as part of a social event for students,” University of Michigan vice president for student life E. Royster Harper said in a statement Wednesday. “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 film screening will go on as originally planned Friday night as part of the UMix late night activities series, however the school will host an “alternative” screening of the PG-rated film “Paddington” in a separate location on campus to provide “additional options” for students made “uncomfortable” by “American Sniper.”
The university’s Center for Campus Involvement initially cancelled the event after 300 students and some faculty members signed a letter asking the school to scrap the film showing because “American Sniper” propagates “negative and misleading stereotypes” of Muslims.
Of course, the campus organization was met with plenty of backlash for doing so. A petition to reinstate the screening circulated the university Wednesday, garnering more than 500 signatures in just over 13 hours.
“The movie ‘American Sniper’ is not about a racist mass murderer or a criminal,” read the petition. “It is about a decorated American war hero who served his country valiantly. While we may disagree about the motives and politics of the Iraq War, the movie shows the sacrifice that Chris Kyle made, like so many of his fellow servicemen and women who put themselves in harm’s way to protect our country.”
“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,” it continued. “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.”
Rachel Jankowski, a student at the University of Michigan Law School who started the petition, told Red Alert Politics in a statement, “Universities should be places where students can express diverse ideas and engage in open debate and dialogue, even if it might make some feel uncomfortable.”
“Students should be able to watch movies like ‘American Sniper,’ so they can be exposed to a broad array of opinions and come to their own conclusions on different issues without being censored by other students who feel these different viewpoints are offensive and should be silenced,” Jankowski added, describing herself as “extremely proud” of the university for reversing its decision.
Even Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh jumped to the defense of “American Sniper” and freedom expression in a tweet.
Michigan Football will watch “American Sniper”! Proud of Chris Kyle & Proud to be an American & if that offends anybody then so be it!
— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) April 9, 2015
“Michigan Football will watch ‘American Sniper’!” he wrote. “Proud of Chris Kyle & Proud to be an American & if that offends anybody then so be it!”
Earlier on amid the backlash Wednesday, the Center for Campus Involvement announced that “American Sniper” would be screened in a “separate forum” and that “Paddington” would take its place, but the university ultimately decided to completely walk back its cancellation of the event.
We’re planning to show American Sniper in a separate forum that provides an appropriate space for dialogue & reflection. More info to come.
— Campus Involvement (@UMInvolvement) April 8, 2015
Sophomore Lamees Mekkaoui, the student who spearheaded the initial protest of the film, dubbed the petition circulated Wednesday “completely and utterly moot,” according to the College Fix.
“No one’s freedom of speech was infringed upon,” she alleged. “It was just completely inappropriate for a fun and inclusive UMix event. There is a stark contrast between ‘Paddington’ and ‘American Sniper.'”
