Recently, former Russia Today journalist, Abby Martin, was given online rape and death threats by several psychotic Chris Kyle fan boys in sniper forums, after taking a picture wearing a “Fuck Chris Kyle” t-shirt. Martin, who is not exactly afraid to speak her mind, did not receive these types of overt threats, with personal information included, when she criticized the actions of the actions of the Russian government in Crimea. Rape and death threats should not be taken lightly, and when those threats come over an issue of free speech, it shows a deep and dark tear in the moral fabric of a certain segment in society.
Being critical of a mass murderer does not, in any way, justify threats of severe bodily harm, in fact, it should be encouraged. Unfortunately, many people in America have a romanticized view of the military, mistakenly viewing it as an organization that “protects freedom.” The U.S Military fights imperial wars of aggression for corrupt politicians, bankers, and Military Industrial Complex members against poor people in the Third World. Members of this machine of death are elevated to God like status, who can do no wrong, despite clear evidence to the contrary. Blindly following orders to murder someone else, is not something any rational, let alone moral person should support.
Even more perplexing, is the idea that someone should have their life threatened, by people who think the military protects “Rights.” One of the primary rights of person is the right to their own life, in which all other rights, included the right to speech are derived. Never mind the fact that the military as an institution is fundamentally in opposition to rights, as it is a part of the State, which does not care about rights.
Overshadowing the threats of death, and the contradictions of military fan boys, is what this culture of blind military worship has lead to. It is one thing to slap a sticker on a car, saying “support the troops,” and even to mistakenly say “the military as an institution is fundamentally fine, just with a few bad apples.” Many of these people are simply holding some internal contradictions in their moral code. It is an entirely different thing when that support goes to the point of religious extremism and acts of violence, as opposed to worshiping the military, but at least not threatening to kill someone in opposition. These people on the other hand, have severe problems with their moral code.
As someone who lives in rural southwest Idaho, I am surrounded by the type of people who think Chris Kyle, and others like him are “heroes,” and should be celebrated, including those who react so emotionally that they threaten to commit acts of violence. It is profoundly disturbing when I see people getting upset over criticizing a mass murderer, and view it as an attack on them personally. No one is threatening to harm you in any way, when they criticize the the military, and the State behind it, and it absolutely does not warrant threatening to kill someone over it.