EXCLUSIVE: The Writers Guild of America’s silence on the October 7 terror attacks on Israel appears to be the only statement it will make, at least according to West Coast President Meredith Stiehm.
“Over the past week, some members have called on the guild to take a public stance on events in the Middle East,” said the former head of the WGA West. home country EP today shared a statement of support and condolences to showrunners and others who have reached out to their fraternity, similar to what DGA and SAG-AFTRA, as well as Disney, Comcast and many others, have already said about the more than 1,400 deaths at the hands of Hamas and the Hundreds who were kidnapped. Hostage. “Many members have also asked us not to make any statements,” Stiehm continued in the email sent around noon today.
Read the full email, “Continue to Follow Up on Your Outreach Efforts,” from WGAW President Meredith Stiehm below.
“The Board has worked extensively to consider the wide range of opinions of our members on this issue and to determine how we as a guild can best address this issue,” added the recently re-elected WGAW President, commenting: ” We naturally share your fears.’ to the affected members. “Like the members themselves, the council’s positions differed and we felt consensus was beyond our reach. For these reasons we decided not to make a public statement. “
“What a total excuse, they should be ashamed of themselves,” a prominent showrunner told Deadline about the email he received on Saturday. “They made a statement about everything else but not about dead Jews, disgusting.” Another writer said they thought “ChatGPT wrote it,” while another writer said they had “received letters from the tax authorities with more empathy”.
Despite Stiehm’s email, there was no official statement from the WGA in support or decision not to support a statement on the bloody attacks on cities, settlements and military bases on the Israel-Gaza border on October 7 .
It appears that Stiehm’s email was sent mainly to guild members who signed an open letter to the WKV two weeks ago denouncing its silent treatment of the tragic attack. Last week’s widely circulated letter, titled “Writers Speak Out,” reads: As the BLM movement gained momentum, the Guild spoke out. When the #MeToo bill came and Hollywood had to change, the guild spoke again. But when terrorists invaded Israel to kill, rape and kidnap Jews, the guild remained silent.”
As of today, Sacha Baron Cohen, crazy men Creators Matt Weiner, Jerry Seinfeld, Eli Roth, home country And 24′with Howard Gordon, Amy Chozick, billion EP Brian Koppelman, Susannah Grant, Steven Levitan, Aline Brosh McKenna, La Brea David Appelbaum, Scott Frank, Amy Sherman-Palladino, The American Fellow showrunners Joel Fields, Jenji Kohan and many others added their names to the open letter.
The Saturday morning email directly from Stiehm also follows a virtual meeting of more than 80 showrunners and other writers for the WGA’s muted response that took place yesterday, Deadline exclusively reported. Led by Jonathan Prince, the meeting, which lasted more than 90 minutes, looked for a way for the group to advance the conversation with the Guild. Although a final conclusion has not yet been reached and further meetings are planned, the group is committed to getting both an apology and a statement of support from the guild’s leadership.
All these goals now seem very distant, especially when one considers Stiehm’s correspondence.
It seems that a WGAW board meeting on this topic last week was quite contentious, comparing and contrasting the legacy of anti-Semitism with ideas of colonization and Israel as an apartheid state in relation to the Palestinians. Several Guild members made it clear to the board and WGA leadership that they view any expression of support for Israel and any condemnation of the brutal violence of October 7 as support for the Jewish state’s subsequent airstrikes on the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and the impending ground invasion that the Israeli army is preparing.
Thousands of people have been killed in Gaza so far by Israel’s response and hundreds of thousands were forced to leave their homes before the IDF intervened. Just today, the massive humanitarian aid that Joe Biden negotiated last week during his recent trip to Israel was delivered. can enter the area.
“The WGA’s silence may be forgotten when Gaza is invaded, but we will not forget it,” claimed a top showrunner. “We all stood together on the posts for months, but when we needed them, we were pulled aside.”
Read the full email from the WGA West President here:
I wanted to let you know where the advice got into this. I know that the last few weeks have been very painful and I am very sorry. We obviously share your concerns and wish there was a simple answer here.
Over the past week, some members have called on the guild to take a public stance on events in the Middle East. Many members also asked us not to make any statements.
The Council has worked diligently to consider the wide range of opinions of our members on this issue and to determine how we as a Guild can best address this issue. Like the members themselves, the Council’s views differed and we felt that consensus was beyond our reach. For these reasons, we have decided not to respond publicly.
What we do agree on is that many members are deeply affected and need fellowship and support during this challenging time.
Here are some resources that we hope you will find useful.
With anti-Semitism and Islamophobia on the rise, if you are concerned about your safety at work, want to make a complaint about discrimination, harassment or bullying in the workplace, or simply want a confidential consultation with an experienced professional , you should be aware of this contact Please contact [email protected]If you want a Guild representative to accompany you in making a complaint.
If you currently experience anxiety and/or emotional problems that prevent you from performing your job duties, you may be eligible for accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act; such as an adjusted work schedule, remote work and additional vacation. If you would like the Guild to assist you with your inquiry, please call the Legal Department at (323) 782-4521 or email at [email protected].
Mental health resources are available to you and your family through our health plan. Participating PWGA vendors can be found HERE. The LA County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) hotline is available 24/7 at (800) 854-7771 for mental health support, resources and referrals. The Entertainment Community Fund offers workshops on stress and anxiety. You can call or text the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 998. Counselors can assist anyone who calls and provide links to resources near the caller.
Source: Deadline
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
