In de aanloop naar de Oscars en de Amerikaanse presidentsverkiezingen van dit jaar hebben ruim honderd filmfiguren, waaronder Julianne Moore en Amy Schumer, een open brief ondertekend aan Hollywoodstudio’s als Netflix, Universal en Warner Bros.

Zij worden verzocht om geen presidentskandidaten te steunen die financiële hulp krijgen van de wapenlobby National Rifle Association en dus de vuurwapenepidemie in de Verenigde Staten in stand houden.

“Van 2016 tot 2020 doneerden de studio’s achter de genomineerden voor Beste Film samen 4,2 miljoen dollar aan wetgevers die steun krijgen van de NRA,” staat te lezen. “Aangezien zij tegen een hervorming van de wapenwet zijn, brengen ze ons publiek in gevaar.”

Volgens Igor Volsky van Guns Down America, de organisatie achter de open brief, ontstond het idee nadat de studio’s niet reageerden op een reeks brieven van mensen die iemand verloren door wapengeweld.

Lees de volledige brief hieronder:

An Open Letter To Hollywood Executives

We, the undersigned, are actors, producers, and industry creatives concerned about the epidemic of gun violence sweeping our country and are joining forces to do everything we can to help build safer communities for us all.

Over the last several months, large American companies have urged policymakers to enact bipartisan legislation to address this epidemic. Some of you have joined these public calls, but we believe that there’s more you can do.

The annual awards season shines a spotlight on our industry and provides you with the opportunity to take direct action that will save lives all across this country. That’s why we are calling on all major Hollywood studios to:

1. End political contributions to candidates who take money from the NRA and vote against gun reform. From 2016 to 2020, the political action committees associated with the studios behind this year’s Best Picture Oscar nominees donated a combined total of $4.2 million to NRA-backed lawmakers. These lawmakers’ opposition to gun reform is literally putting our audiences in danger and we are urging you to consider a politician’s position on gun reform when political contributions in the future.
2. Use your political clout and leverage in Congress to actively lobby for gun reform. Keeping everyone safe should be a top corporate priority for all of us.
3. Support gun violence survivors and gun violence intervention programs to help reduce everyday gun violence all across this country.

Since the federal government has failed to pass reforms that raise the standard for gun ownership in America, our industry has a responsibility to act. We hope that you do.

Signed,

Nick Adams • Zuri Adele • Mikko Alanne • Wade Allain-Marcus • Ted Allen • Tala Ashe • Britt Baron • Willam Belli • Greg Berlanti • Michael Bonfiglio • Bradley Bredeweg • Yvette Nicole Brown • Kay Cannon • Emily Chang • Cindy Chu • Jason P. Clark • Alan Cumming • Emily Deschanel • Chelsea Devantez • Kerri Doherty • Billy Eichner Joshua Hale Fialkov • Frances Fisher • John Fugelsang • David Futernick • Noah Galvin • Roxane Gay Joanna Going • Ari Graynor • Chelsea Handler • Adam Hann-Byrd • Daryl Hannah • Abraham Higginbotham Amy Hoggart • Joselyn Hughes • Emma Hunton • Joanna Johnson • Max Joseph • Kevin Kane • Gloria Calderon Kellett • Michael Kelly • Andrew Kimmel • Kate Lambert • Josh Lamon • Amanda Lasher Franklin Leonard • Jane Levy • Jeff Loveness • Doug Mand • Melina Matsoukas • Eric McCormack • Kevin McHale Austin P. McKenzie • Danny Mears • Alyssa Milano • Mary B.Miller • Kelly Minster • Matthew Modine Julianne Moore • Natalie Morales • Rosie O’Donnell • Tricia O’Kelley • Kerry O’Malley • Mark V. Olsen • Yvonne Orji Charkyluv Osborne • Peter Paige • Sharron Paul • Jennifer Paz • Melissa Jo Peltier • Josh Pence • Chelsea Peretti Jim Piddock • Ben Platt • Jonah Platt • Josh Raby • Issa Rae • Anthony Rapp • Peyton Reed • Alan Resnick • Patricia Riggen • Sebastian Roché • Natasha Rothwell • Kendrick Sampson • Kristen Schaal • Will Scheffer Chris Schleicher • Amy Schumer • Sarah Gertrude Shapiro • David Slack • Hal Sparks • Abigail Spencer Amber Spillman • Scott Squires • Caissie St. Onge • April Stewart • Tara Strong • Zac Stuart-Pontier Danny Tamberelli • Jenna Ushkowitz • Eric Van Wagenen • Michaela Watkins • Ben Wexler • Sherry Xu Sasheer Zamata • Danny Zuker • Daphne Zuniga

Bron: The Playlist