Hollywood is vowing to boycott the state of Georgia again, this time over its newly-minted election integrity laws.
Because of generous tax breaks afforded to the film industry, the state of Georgia has become a heavy filming destination over the past decade, prompting celebrities and Hollywood power-brokers to spend big money on turning the state blue. After the state went to President Joe Biden in 2020 and elected two Democratic Senators this past January, progressives largely thought the battle won until Gov. Brian Kemp signed the “Election Integrity Act of 2021” into law.
As they did when Georgia implemented a law banning abortion following the detection of a fetal heartbeat, Hollywood is once again pledging to boycott.
“I will not direct a film in Georgia,” tweeted “Logan” director James Mangold.
I will not direct a film in Georgia.
— Mangold (@mang0ld) March 26, 2021
Given that Georgia residents will be negatively affected by such a boycott, people on Twitter pleaded with Mangold to reconsider.
“I fully get your stance, James. I am facing this question myself. BUT what gives me pause is that we will be denying work to many of the people who are our allies (in this matter). In all my Georgia based productions so many of my crew and cast were African-American,” tweeted Director Rod Lurie.
“Many people moved to and or established themselves in Georgia because of the film industry. I am not disagreeing with @mang0ld at all… I just feel for those people who, through no fault of their own, will lose work,” he later added.
“You do what you feel is best but to me this is a classical right-wing argument against almost everything. Georgia has been using cash to steal movie jobs from other states that allow people to vote. I don’t want to play there. I’m not telling anyone else what to do,” Mangold responded.
“I feel for them too. I am not telling anyone else what to do. I just can’t work there till this changes,” he added.
You do what you feel is best but to me this is a classical right wing argument against almost everything. Georgia has been using cash to steal movie jobs from other states that allow people to vote. I don't want to play there. I'm not telling anyone else what to do.
— Mangold (@mang0ld) March 26, 2021
I feel for them too. I am not telling anyone else what to do. I just can't work there till this changes.
— Mangold (@mang0ld) March 26, 2021
James Mangold’s call to boycott was later echoed by none other than “Star Wars” star Mark Hamill.
Hashtag correction: #NoMoreFilminginGeoRgia
— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) March 28, 2021
Despite the Left’s insistence that Georgia’s new election integrity laws discriminate against minorities, the evidence says otherwise. In fact, many black voters support some of the proposed laws, such as the voter ID requirement.
“Nearly 70% of black people living in America support laws that require prospective voters to provide an ID, such as a driver’s license, before being allowed to cast their ballot,” reported The Daily Wire. “It turns out that the vast majority of black people in America — the very individuals Joe Biden assures us are victims of racism under voter ID laws — think it’s perfectly reasonable to require some form of proof that you are who you say you are before voting.”
Beyond Hollywood, the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) has also called on the PGA Tour to strip the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia of the annual Masters Tournament.
RELATED: Civil Rights Group Calls For PGA Tour To Pull Masters In Protest Of Georgia’s New Voting Law