WGA, DGA & SAG Members Reject Pressure Campaigns to Support the Assault on Gaza
Update 12/05/23: We have changed our name to Hollywood Workers for Peace to reflect the cross-union composition of our membership and our updated mission. Find our latest demands here, and follow us on Twitter and/or Instagram to stay updated.
Update 10/27/23: This letter was recently the subject of a Deadline article written by Michael Seitzman, on one of the deadliest days in Gaza so far. We’d like to briefly respond to some of his claims about it:
- “The brief, 458 word letter couldn’t find one word for the rape, torture, murder and kidnapping of jewish civilians, including children. Including babies.”
Our letter states that “the ongoing situation in Israel and Gaza is fraught with suffering on all sides” in the first sentence of paragraph three. Meanwhile, the pro-Israel letter that we called the WGA to reject did not include a single word about Palestinian suffering.
Further, the claim that Israelis were raped on October 7th has not been substantiated, just as Israeli propaganda that Hamas beheaded babies wasn’t. (Talk about information management.)
- “If the authors of the letter reminded people how this all started, they might not be so quick to sign it.”
Seitzman insinuates that this conflict started on October 7th, which is a display of utter historical ignorance. These tensions go back even before 1915, when the British promised European Zionists a “national home” on Palestinian land.
- “(Making such a statement as ours is) only courage if it comes with personal risk. Otherwise, by definition, it’s cowardice.”
The idea that organizing this campaign in a time when simply liking or resharing information or the pro-Palestinian opinions of others can lead to being forced out of your position is preposterous. We remain anonymous for the purposes of this particular letter, as many of us are lower level workers without movies starring Charlize Theron to our name. Even still, we continue to organize around this issue alongside many Jewish siblings in our personal lives. We are very curious how much bravery it takes for a wealthy man to support genocide with the full weight of the government and billions of tax payer dollars behind him, however.
- “To be clear, genocide is the intentional killing or destroying of an entire group of people.”
Wrong. See Article II of the UN Convention which describes genocide as a crime committed with the intent to destroy a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, in whole or in part.
- “The information they generally leave out is that Israel has never called for the deaths of Palestinians.”
Wrong. Israeli officials and their mouthpieces have called to “erase” and “flatten” Gaza, supporting what Holocaust professor Raz Sagal calls “a textbook case of genocide” in the Jewish Current.
Also, our letter was not posted as a Google Doc, but as this Google Form. We suggest Michael Seitzman hire a capable editor with at least some fact-checking experience next time.
(P.S. We believe that to reduce this argument to simply “because Jews” is a gross oversimplification of hundreds upon thousands of years of history and nuanced conflict that not even the greatest political minds are able to solve… so no, not “because Jews.”)
Update 10/25/23: Please read our recent statement regarding why we found it necessary to write this open letter: “An anonymous open letter helped successfully lobby a Hollywood union against supporting Israel. Here’s why we wrote it.”
Update 10/21/23: The WGA has announced it will not be releasing a statement in support of Israel, but there is still a pressure campaign to get them to reverse their stance. The DGA and SAG-AFTRA have already released statements standing with Israel. To add your initials in support of this statement, please fill out this form.
We, the undersigned members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA), Directors Guild of America (DGA), and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), want to express our concerns regarding the recent pressure campaigns by certain high-profile members of our guilds to issue statements in support of Israel amidst its ongoing siege of Gaza. While we fully appreciate the diversity of opinions within our guilds, we firmly believe that if our guilds release such statements, they must be rooted in a deep commitment to justice and human rights FOR ALL.
As we are all aware, the ongoing situation in Israel and Gaza is fraught with suffering on all sides. However, we must tread carefully when endorsing any government’s actions, especially when said government has been accused of carrying out human rights violations, war crimes, and genocide.
The recent statements made by the Israeli government, as well as its actions, have raised alarm bells among the international community, human rights organizations, and many individuals around the world, including within our guilds. Accusations of ethnic cleansing and genocide cannot be taken lightly. It is essential that our guilds avoid lending support to actions that would not align with our principles.
As storytellers, the narratives we craft matter, and the language we use has consequences. This is especially true in a moment where many of us who stand against genocide cannot even take that bare minimum position publicly without fear of being doxxed or blacklisted. The language others have chosen has cost lives, both here in the U.S, and overseas. Just recently, we tragically witnessed the murder of a six-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume, a Palestinian boy in Chicago, a horrifying event that cannot be disconnected from the broader narrative and its consequences.
As members of the WGA, DGA, and SAG-AFTRA, many of us marched alongside various communities to demand a comprehensive approach that addresses all the challenges we faced COLLECTIVELY during the strikes. We sought fairness for all of our members, not just a select few. To yield to external pressures that would compromise our commitment to fairness is to betray the very essence of our guilds and their missions.
The strength of our guilds lies in our unity, our diversity, and our commitment to social justice. We hope our leadership navigates this delicate situation with the wisdom and fairness it deserves going forward.
Sincerely,
JS (SAG-AFTRA)
MFW (DGA)
AS (WGA)
HZ (WGA)
RS (WGA)
KJ (WGA, SAG-AFTRA)
MS (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
JB (SAG-AFTRA)
FZ (WGA)
SAK (WGA)
NS (WGA)
FA (WGA)
CH (WGA)
A (DGA)
FMC (SAG-AFTRA)
M.O. (WGA)
CR (WGA)
RG (WGA, SAG-AFTRA)
KK (WGA)
RU (WGA)
GG (DGA)
JC (WGA)
KD (WGA, SAG-AFTRA)
DJC (SAG-AFTRA)
BP (WGA, SAG-AFTRA)
AW (SAG-AFTRA)
Aw (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
MP (SAG-AFTRA)
NZ (SAG-AFTRA)
T.R. (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
CCH (SAG-AFTRA)
MKL (SAG-AFTRA)
KB (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
ELH (WGA)
TA (SAG-AFTRA)
JP (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
Sk (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
JA (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
DL (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
ATM (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
LW (WGA)
ERB (WGA)
TC (WGA)
ES (SAG-AFTRA)
LG (SAG-AFTRA)
MA (SAG-AFTRA)
JT (WGA)
LI (SAG-AFTRA)
SLS (DGA)
IY (WGA)
BW (WGA)
NC (SAG-AFTRA)
MFW (WGA)
JS (WGA)
SK (SAG-AFTRA)
PV (WGA)
JW (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
ATA (SAG-AFTRA)
RD (WGA)
YN (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
NC (SAG-AFTRA)
NM (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
NS (SAG-AFTRA)
LMM (SAG-AFTRA)
JT (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
EP (SAG-AFTRA)
JG (WGA, SAG-AFTRA)
KD (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
SB (SAG-AFTRA)
CR (WGA)
JR (WGA)
SR (WGA)
DG (WGA)
SR (WGA, SAG-AFTRA)
NK (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
NB (WGA, DGA)
IF (SAG-AFTRA)
AK (SAG-AFTRA)
CW (SAG-AFTRA)
MD (SAG-AFTRA)
NW (WGA)
ACG (SAG-AFTRA)
GO (WGA, DGA)
NA (WGA)
DR (WGA)
KM (SAG-AFTRA)
AVA (SAG-AFTRA)
DD (SAG-AFTRA)
KM (SAG-AFTRA)
SB (SAG-AFTRA)
RM (SAG-AFTRA)
BD (WGA)
SS (SAG-AFTRA)
EH (SAG-AFTRA)
AOK (WGA)
TL (WGA)
MM (WGA)
AK (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
SJ (SAG-AFTRA)
RAM (WGA)
AF (SAG-AFTRA)
AM (WGA)
RM (SAG-AFTRA)
GD (SAG-AFTRA)
AV (DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
HF (WGA)
J.S. (SAG-AFTRA)
AT (SAG-AFTRA)
AM (SAG-AFTRA)
JG (WGA)
SF (SAG-AFTRA)
HNP (DGA)
DM (SAG-AFTRA)
NJA (WGA)
LS (WGA)
BSF (WGA)
kk (SAG-AFTRA)
MW (WGA)
TC (SAG-AFTRA)
MMM (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
AH (SAG-AFTRA)
RK (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
KG (WGA)
D.C (WGA)
SG (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
EM (WGA)
IB (SAG-AFTRA)
KF (WGA)
BS (WGA)
TRS (WGA)
PL (SAG-AFTRA)
DB (SAG-AFTRA)
KA (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
MA (WGA)
A.F (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
SMJ (WGA)
ZM (WGA)
HA (SAG-AFTRA)
K (WGA, SAG-AFTRA)
YM (WGA)
MEB (WGA)
JS (WGA)
MB (WGA, SAG-AFTRA)
BC (SAG-AFTRA)
ES (SAG-AFTRA)
CA (WGA)
NW (WGA)
O.G. (SAG-AFTRA)
EF (WGA)
Il (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
MB (SAG-AFTRA)
BSW (SAG-AFTRA)
SS (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
SM (WGA)
db (SAG-AFTRA)
SZ (SAG-AFTRA)
SC (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
Lb (WGA)
AG (WGA)
SM (SAG-AFTRA)
JC (WGA)
KRL (SAG-AFTRA)
RE (SAG-AFTRA)
MVM (SAG-AFTRA)
SB (SAG-AFTRA)
JR (WGA)
UA (SAG-AFTRA)
M.G. (SAG-AFTRA)
Sb (SAG-AFTRA)
Js (SAG-AFTRA)
A.C. (SAG-AFTRA)
DM (SAG-AFTRA)
AS (WGA)
OH (WGA)
PC (WGA)
ERM (SAG-AFTRA)
AM (SAG-AFTRA)
VK (SAG-AFTRA)
KD (SAG-AFTRA)
E (SAG-AFTRA)
NW (SAG-AFTRA)
AZ (WGA)
HM (SAG-AFTRA)
SD (SAG-AFTRA)
F (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
ST (SAG-AFTRA)
SD (WGA, SAG-AFTRA)
KB (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
AV (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
SG (SAG-AFTRA)
JB (SAG-AFTRA)
DH (SAG-AFTRA)
Tj (SAG-AFTRA)
BA (WGA)
MB (SAG-AFTRA)
WC (DGA)
Aw (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
NS (WGA)
PS (SAG-AFTRA)
AC (SAG-AFTRA)
K.S (SAG-AFTRA)
RD (SAG-AFTRA)
EL (WGA)
SR (WGA)
NV (WGA)
NB (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
UT (WGA, SAG-AFTRA)
IR (WGA)
JD (SAG-AFTRA)
RE (WGA, SAG-AFTRA)
AN (SAG-AFTRA)
MS (SAG-AFTRA)
RS (SAG-AFTRA)
CG (SAG-AFTRA)
LY (WGA)
CM (SAG-AFTRA)
PN (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
HS (SAG-AFTRA)
TC (SAG-AFTRA)
Ou (SAG-AFTRA)
EW (SAG-AFTRA)
TS (SAG-AFTRA)
ND (SAG-AFTRA)
AR (WGA)
JK (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
JI (SAG-AFTRA)
TS (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
KA (WGA)
JG (DGA)
BNW (SAG-AFTRA)
OB (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
Fa (SAG-AFTRA)
CKK (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
SJ (SAG-AFTRA)
JJ (SAG-AFTRA)
SM (WGA)
JK (WGA)
SNA (DGA)
TL (WGA)
SM (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
IG (WGA)
FA (SAG-AFTRA)
MM (SAG-AFTRA)
SKM (SAG-AFTRA)
MB (SAG-AFTRA)
EN (SAG-AFTRA)
AH (WGA)
MN (SAG-AFTRA)
PS (WGA)
BB (SAG-AFTRA)
CML (SAG-AFTRA)
AC (WGA)
RB (WGA)
MA (SAG-AFTRA)
ZCC (SAG-AFTRA)
sr (WGA)
R.A. (SAG-AFTRA)
FN (DGA)
NN (SAG-AFTRA)
SS (SAG-AFTRA)
ER (SAG-AFTRA)
BWM (WGA)
I.P. (SAG-AFTRA)
TC (SAG-AFTRA)
AH (WGA)
LL (SAG-AFTRA)
CK (WGA)
RC (WGA)
JB (WGA)
CK (SAG-AFTRA)
MN (SAG-AFTRA)
HME (SAG-AFTRA)
DC (SAG-AFTRA)
SB (WGA, DGA)
AB (SAG-AFTRA)
AY (SAG-AFTRA)
Dt (SAG-AFTRA)
MH (WGA)
pm (WGA)
JM (SAG-AFTRA)
MM (SAG-AFTRA)
RK (SAG-AFTRA)
MR (WGA)
LA (WGA)
AH (WGA, SAG-AFTRA)
BK (SAG-AFTRA)
KG (WGA)
SM (SAG-AFTRA)
Tv (SAG-AFTRA)
TT (SAG-AFTRA)
E.A. (WGA)
ZS (WGA)
JLV (SAG-AFTRA)
AO (SAG-AFTRA)
JA (WGA)
NM (WGA, SAG-AFTRA)
SO (WGA, SAG-AFTRA)
CB (WGA)
CF (SAG-AFTRA)
VS (SAG-AFTRA)
Z (SAG-AFTRA)
NW (SAG-AFTRA)
SP (WGA)
PC (SAG-AFTRA)
LM (SAG-AFTRA)
MD (WGA)
JG (WGA)
R.V. (WGA, DGA, SAG-AFTRA)
AK (SAG-AFTRA)
NK (IATSE/TAG)
RH (IATSE/TAG)
AG (IATSE/TAG)
AA (WGA)
EBA (SAG-AFTRA)
DC (WGA)
CJ (IATSE/TAG)
PC (SAG-AFTRA)
NM (IATSE/TAG)
MS (IATSE/TAG)
NW (IATSE/TAG)
BPK (IATSE/TAG)
SS (WGA)
VM (SAG-AFTRA)
AM (SAG-AFTRA)
ET (WGA)
RC (WGA)
GK (SAG-AFTRA)
CEN (IATSE/TAG)
AKB (IATSE/TAG)
EM (IATSE/TAG)
MHMJ (IATSE/TAG)
KV (WGA)
AE (SAG-AFTRA)
DL (SAG-AFTRA)
AGW (IATSE/TAG)
LPM (SAG-AFTRA)
Pre-WGA:
ATH (Pre-WGA)
AL (Pre-WGA)
CD (Pre-WGA)
JH (Pre-WGA)
KM (Pre-WGA)
CC (Pre-WGA)
FB (Pre-WGA)
WY (Pre-WGA)
CL (Pre-WGA)
… 352 Hollywood union and 9 pre-WGA members and counting. To add your initials in support of this statement, please fill out this form.
Due to popular demand, we have added the option to add your support as a pre-WGA member.
Reach out to WGAforPeace@gmail.com with any inquiries.
