Comments on: WGA 'Diversity Day' Picket At Paramount

By: Helen of Peel

Helen of Peel — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 21:15:10 +0000

Strange, I didn’t see any transsexuals there… and I am one who writes… and what about those other alphabet letters… hmmmm?

By: American English Speaker

American English Speaker — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 01:34:49 +0000

I did not organize Diversity Day. However, I attended. The aim was to show through diversity, we are united. Because Black writers or Latino writers or whoever join forces does not mean we do not want to be American. What a crazy notion someone suggested. It certainly does not mean we do not want to learn English. An even crazier notion. The fact of the matter is, writers of color may view the industry differently. Most of the people we pitch to or sell ideas to, do not look like us. African American writers are told that “Black films” do not sell overseas. Therefore, films with predominantly Black actors are treated differently. So look, whether opportunities are different for writers of color or not can be debated later. What’s important is that writers of color specifically came out to signal their support of their union. Don’t turn it into a negative.

By: Roy

Roy — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 20:21:56 +0000

Being a struggling African-American writer, I agree with the notion that all writers are all the same, under the skin or gender or sexual identity.

Unfortunately, with the not-so-subtle tactics of the AMPTP, the Hollywood powers-that-be aren’t too keen to that fact. There should be more diverse voices in the entertainment industry. I even read some African-Americans have a “devil may care” attitude towards the strike.

Regardless, I support the writers, no matter what race, sexuality or gender they are.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 05:24:37 +0000

How many writers of color work for a studio other than the CW? As a black writer/producer I am sick and tired of all this “diversity”. It’s not real and fades after the day is over. We don’t all get along, it’s time to admit it and once we do then we can all get passed race.

By: Bob Dee

Bob Dee — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 23:28:41 +0000

I’m so sick and tired of this diversity CRAP I’m about ready to vomit. Don’t people understand…it’s our UNITY that binds us together, not our diversity. Diversity only divides us. How many different “diversity” groups does the WGA now have? We have gays, blacks, women, latinos…what else? What’s next…a sub-group for handicapped Armenian gays?

We need to start concentrating on the things that bind us together, not the things that separate us. Does a black writer sit at the keyboard differently than I do? The USA used to be called a melting pot…”a place where immigrants of different cultures or races form an INTEGRATED society” (American Heritage Dictionary). Now every immigrant group has it’s own ghetto where no one has to learn English and no one has any desire to become part of the American culture.

Why can’t we just have a guild that’s unified, that’s one, standing arm-in-arm and fighting for what we believe in? Why can’t we just be called WRITERS? That is an honorable profession. Why does it have to be black writer, Latino Writer, gay writer, etc.?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 23:16:30 +0000

Among Mara Brock Akil’s friends are writer/director Reggie Rock Bythewood and Karen Gist, a writer/producer on Brock Akil’s “Girlfriends”

By: Red Writer

Red Writer — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 11:15:17 +0000

Even if these were the only diverse writers in the WGA, it’s still one HELL of a lot better record than the AMPTP is running right now…