With mass shootings seemingly every day, Hollywood has decided it’s time to stop glorifying guns.
In the “Open Letter to Our Colleagues in the Creative Community,” obtained Monday by The Ankler, Christy Callahan, co-chair of of the Brady United Against Gun Violence organization’s Regional Leadership Council, and Robert Bowers Disney, the national organizing director, are calling on movies and TV shows to model responsible gun ownership and use.
“As America’s storytellers, our goal is primarily to entertain, but we also acknowledge that stories have the power to effect change. Cultural attitudes toward smoking, drunk driving, seatbelts and marriage equality have all evolved due in large part to movies’ and TV’s influence. It’s time to take on gun safety,” reads the letter.
“We are not asking anyone to stop showing guns on screen. We are asking writers, directors and producers to be mindful of on-screen gun violence and model gun safety best practices. Let’s use our collective power for good.”
Among the letter’s initial signees are Judd Apatow, Debbie Allen, Jimmy Kimmel, Damon Lindelof, Adam McKay, Julianne Moore, Marti Noxon, Billy Ray, Shonda Rhimes, Eli Roth, Mark Ruffalo and Amy Schumer, according to The Ankler.
Proposals include showing gun owners locking away their weapons safely and limiting scenes with both children and guns.
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