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American Hero

Clint Eastwood’s new movie American Sniper is a must-see for every lover of America.

It is not about war.
It is not about the Iraqi war.
It is not even about warriors.

It is about one particular warrior in the Iraqi war.
It is about one particular American Hero, who deeply loved his country.
It is a true story about a genuine “Boy Scout.”

It is also about the “warrior code” and the camaraderie of those living with horror.
It is also about the invisible illness of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
It is also about wives who remain in safety but must live with a crushing fear of a ringing telephone.

Chris Kyle was indeed a SuperHero, with breathtaking marksmanship.
Once, I wore my expert marksman badge proudly but am not good enough to carry Kyle’s backpack.
He made a head shot at 2100 meters, more than a mile away — a head shot, no less.

With each succeeding war since World War II, an ever smaller percentage of the population serves to protect an larger percentage of the population.  While that is probably a good thing, it does make our relatively few warriors ever more important to the rest of us.  We need every Chris Kyle we can find.

It is cleansing to watch his movie.  It would be an honor to salute him!