Post 9/11 jingoism has completely leached "hero" of any meaning as it is, and this is (I hope) the nadir. Pull a trigger, push a button, click a mouse or tap a touchscreen...that's not a soldier or any kind of fighter, that's a technician who sits safely far from danger and kills by operating machinery with consummate skill.

Yay technical skill.

A sniper or drone operator is an assassin, plain and simple. Not an "executioner", who operates in the open, but a stealthy killer from ambush. But to be fair, not a "murderer", because the assassin's work is sanctioned by Authority.

Yay Authority.

Let's be honest: To the Patriots® celebrating this film and calling the sniper a "hero", he's a "hero" because he killed Muslims. Killed not only without remorse, but with relish. And with a firearm.

Yay Second Amendment.

I seem to recall Obama being pilloried for telling the truth back in '08 about Americans "clinging to their guns and religion". Those are the people that collectively have paid $200 million so far to see the movie to watch a Patriot® kill Muslims retail. And from what I hear, often in loving slo-mo. But that's Clint Eastwood for ya.

Yay Clint Eastwood.

Yay.