Stars put their money behind student marches
George Clooney, Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg say they are donating money to students organising nationwide marches against gun violence.
Survivors of last week’s shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, are organising March For Our Lives, a series of marches and rallies on March 25, including the main march in Washington.
Hollywood heavyweight Clooney and his wife, Amal Clooney, said they were inspired by the “courage and eloquence” of the survivors-turnedactivists and that they planned to attend the marches. They also said they were donating US$500,000 ($681,865) in the names of their eight-month-old twins, Ella and Alexander, and that the family plan to “stand side by side” with students next month.
Winfrey posted on Twitter: “George and Amal, I couldn’t agree with you more. I am joining forces with you and will match your $500,000 donation to March For Our Lives.”
reported that Hollywood director Spielberg and actress Kate Capshaw also said they would donate US$500,000, while film studio executive Jeffrey Katzenberg and his wife Marilyn were said to have pledged a similar amount.
Novelist Stephen King, meanwhile, labelled a Maine congressman an “NRA sweetheart” on Twitter for receiving thousands of dollars from the gun rights advocacy group the National Rifle Association.
King urged residents to not vote for Republican Bruce Poliquin in November, citing his support from the NRA. The Maine-born novelist has posted several tweets about gun policy since the shooting last week that left 17 people dead.
Poliquin adviser Brent Littlefield said Poliquin is a strong Second Amendment supporter and that he will not respond directly to a “Hollywood person”.
The New has identified Poliquin as a top House recipient of NRA funding. The newspaper last year said the NRA reported spending more than US$200,000 to help Poliquin's political career, including US$68,000 spent attacking his opponents.