Hollywood virtue-signaling is an arcane blend of compassion and career building. Just ask comedian Ryan Long, who recently surveyed the entertainment landscape and humorously highlighted the struggle of stars to do the right thing.
However, more than 700 members of the entertainment industry have finally taken a stand. The Creative Community for Peace (CCFP) has revealed an open letter forcefully condemning the atrocities committed by Hamas against the Israeli people over the weekend. There is no hand-wringing or attempts to “both sides” the crimes against humanity. Instead, there is outrage and, hopefully, a promise to continue applying cultural pressure.
“This is terrorism. This is evil. There is no justification or rationalization for Hamas’ actions. These are barbaric acts of terrorism that must be called out by everyone. They are a terrorist organization whose leaders call for the murder of Jews everywhere,” states the letter from CCFP.
CCFP implores their friends and colleagues in the entertainment industry to speak out forcefully against Hamas and to use their influence to urge the terrorist organization to release the innocent hostages back to their families.
Some of the prominent names included in the letter are Michael Douglas, Chris Pine, Jerry Seinfeld, Amy Schumer, Liev Schreiber, Billy Porter, Debra Messing, and Titus Welliver. These stars, along with many others, have stood up to condemn these atrocities and support Israel.
However, there are a few notable names missing from the list. Mark Ruffalo, the progressive A-lister known for frequently voicing his opinions on political matters, has been notably muted on this issue. George Takei, the 80-something “Star Trek” alum whose Twitter feed hardly captures the sentiment of the letter, is also missing from the list. Bette Midler and Sean Penn are among the other notable absentees.
The entertainment industry has often been criticized for its silence or selective outrage on political issues. However, with the support of these stars, the message is clear – the atrocities committed by Hamas against the Israeli people are unjustifiable and must be condemned.
