Dear Oscars,

Personal politics have taken center stage at far too many Hollywood award shows. The endless preaching from Meryl Streep at the Golden Globe Awards, then the additional preaching at last night’s SAG Awards — where President Donald Trump seemed to be the only thing on everyone’s mind — have us worried the Oscars will simply continue this dreadful and unfortunate trend.

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Your host, Jimmy Kimmel, does not inspire much confidence in this area, as he has been as Trump-obsessed as his celebrity guests.

Your host, Jimmy Kimmel, does not inspire much confidence, as he has been as Trump-obsessed as his celebrity guests.

We hope that you will make an effort to allow the Feb. 26 ceremony to be about the celebration of art. Americans watch these movies. Americans like movies, arguably more than the citizens of other countries. Hollywood and our unprecedented freedom of speech exist here for a reason. We love stories.

Related: Will Kimmel Turn the Oscars into the Globes 2.0?

The fact that actors and filmmakers have political opinions — this is not what is troubling viewers. It is the tone of the conversation and the divisive rhetoric — and the fact that viewers feel trapped and tricked every time they watch one of these award shows.

At these awards shows, celebrities have stood at their pulpit and vilified those who happen to disagree with them. They’ve considered anyone not in their small left-leaning circle to be angry bigots. They spread false information and talk down to those who may watch their work.

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This is not what art is about. Artists have a job that allows them to explore the inner workings of ALL kinds of people and their motivations. To wave off half the country as your enemy is the type of divisiveness we don’t need from Hollywood right now. We need hands to reach across the aisle and people to help a polarized country find a middle ground, even when we disagree.

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Related: SAG Awards: Acting Out Against Trump

We want to like the Oscars. We want to support film and storytelling, especially since the nominees this year are so strong. Even conservative-leaning movies like “Hacksaw Ridge” and “Hell or High Water” have been nominated for major awards.

Please remember that a large portion of your audience doesn’t want to be preached to, lectured to, or vilified. People want to find common ground. Let’s have that common ground be art.

Sincerely,

The People Who Pay Good Money to See the Oscar-Nominated Films