MEDIA WATCH | LYFT

Lyft: This Is Pure Bigotry

Let this show go to the grave where A&E sent it. We have enough going on in the world right now. Let’s put an end to bigotry of every kind.

August 14, 2020

Jordan Markwith

Head of External Affairs

Lyft

jmarkwith@lyft.com

Dear Mr. Markwith,

I’m writing to draw your attention to hate speech and bigotry, which would taint your brand and lead to boycotts—but it can be prevented!

An episode of Leah Remini’s show, Aftermath, has somehow managed to get itself nominated as a “special” in the 2020 Emmy Awards, even though A&E had it listed as the season finale of the third season of her show. A&E rightfully canceled that show after outrage over hate speech. Advertisers dropped like flies, which helped fuel the cancellation. No one wanted to associate their brand with that vitriol.

Remini admitted she did not vet her sources—literally allowing any hateful person to speak. She made her entire premise antireligious against such minority religious groups as Jehovah’s Witnesses, Scientologists and members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“Mormons”) which directly led to acts of violence against members of these organizations.

This is pure bigotry.

Just to make it clear how bigoted it is, substitute some other entire group of people. What if she had targeted Jews, Muslims or people of color? Most people would see that for what it is—pure hate by a bitter has-been stuck on her past faith. Instead of finding a new path forward, she has continued to seek profit from hate speech.

Worldwide there are tens of millions of Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Scientologists. Certainly among your customers, and others you would like to be customers, are such people.

I am a Scientologist mom in Oregon with hundreds of friends and acquaintances of all three of these faiths, plus many other allies who do not want to see us degraded and targeted by hate speech, bigotry and violence. My children, and children of every faith, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc., deserve a world where they are not targeted for who they are.

Please withdraw your support for the Emmy Awards, citing the need for them to withdraw this ridiculous “special” from awards consideration. Let this show go to the grave where A&E sent it. We have enough going on in the world right now. Let’s put an end to bigotry of every kind.

Thank you,

May Livingston

Oregon