The University Michigan had planned to show the film “American Sniper” at a Friday campus event. However, a petition drive led by students, at least some of whom were Muslim or Arab, caused the school on Tuesday to swap that movie out for a screening of “Paddington.”
However, at least one prominent member of the Michigan faculty took to Twitter Wednesday to express support for the Iraq War movie.
It’s unclear if Jim Harbaugh’s very public stance swayed members of Michigan’s administration. Certainly, the football coach’s tweet came amid much criticism of the school’s decision to change films.
In any event, Michigan reversed its decision later on Wednesday, in a statement from the school’s vice president for student life:
“It was a mistake to cancel the showing of the movie “American Sniper” on campus as part of a social event for students.
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 movie will be shown at the originally scheduled time and location.
We recognize, however, that some students are uncomfortable with the content of the movie, and appreciate that concern.
Therefore, the university also will show an alternative movie, “Paddington,” in another location on campus at that same time and date to provide our students with additional options that evening.”
“As a student who identifies as an Arab and Middle Eastern student, I feel that ‘American Sniper’ condones a lot of anti-Middle Eastern and North African propaganda,” Lamees Mekkaoui told the Free Press.
“I like those [campus] events,” Mekkaoui said. “I don’t think this film fits that event, which is supposed to be fun and enjoyable. I think it should be played, but not at this event.”
However, after the announcement of the cancellation, another petition began circulating around the Ann Arbor campus. From the Free Press:
“The movie American Sniper is not about a racist mass murderer or a criminal,” that petition said. “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. 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.”