From Stephen King to Dave Eggers, over 600 American writers have signed an “open letter to the American people” explaining their opposition to Trump’s candidacy.
There was a time when writers held a prominent role in society, actively contributing to the development of a democratic consciousness — one need only think of towering literary figures with an unquestionable social commitment, such as Dostoevsky and Gramsci. This influence seemed to fade gradually over recent decades, and the media have imposed compromises on intellectuals. From the United States, however, comes a piece of news that reminds us that writers can still help build a better world through the power of their ideas and their written words.
A growing number of writers — over six hundred at the time of writing — have signed an "open letter to the American people" explaining the reasons for their opposition to the Republican Donald Trump's presidential candidacy. Among the authors are prominent names in American fiction, including the king of horror Stephen King, Pulitzer Prize winner Junot Díaz, Cheryl Strayed and Dave Eggers.
The letter, published on the literary website Hub, cites a long list of reasons why the authors decided to take a stand against Trump, who "deliberately appeals to the basest and most violent elements of society, encourages aggression among his followers, and demeans women and minorities." King and his colleagues decided to write the letter because they believe that "any democracy worthy of the name is built on pluralism, accepts disagreement, and reaches consensus through reasoned debate."
The letter can be signed on the website ipetitions.com; since its publication on 24 May, it has already gathered over 20,000 signatures.