Hundreds of Hollywood’s leading writers, directors and producers including Mark Ruffalo, Shonda Rhimes and Judd Apatow are on a mission to incorporate gun safety into their storytelling.
They’ve signed an open letter, together with the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, acknowledging that their work, while not a substitute for “common sense gun legislation,” does have “the power to effect change.”
Part of their letter reads: “We are not asking anyone to stop showing guns onscreen. 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. ”
The pledge goes on to share examples of how this can be done – by showing characters locking up their guns safely, “consequences for reckless gun use” and limiting scenes that involve children and guns “bearing in mind that guns are now the leading cause of death for children and adolescents” in the U.S.
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“Cultural attitudes toward smoking, drunk driving, seatbelts and marriage equality have alle volved due in large part to movies’ and TV’s influence. It’s time to take on gun safety.”
Amy Schumer, Jimmy Kimmel, Steve Levitan and Julianne Moore are among those who’ve also signed the pledge. You can read the full list and open letter HERE.
(Feature Image Credit: Lev Radin/Shutterstock; Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock)