1. United States
2. Colo.
3. Letter

Certainly; here’s the letter with your addition integrated: Subject: Do You Respect Literature and Authors? Dear [Elected Official’s Name], I write to ask a question that may seem simple but carries profound implications. Do you enjoy reading? And if so, do you respect the work of authors and the truth and humanity they seek to convey? Over 1,000 authors—including highly regarded voices from across the globe—have signed a letter declaring their refusal to engage with Israeli literary institutions. Their stand isn’t a matter of minor political disagreement. It’s a response to the ongoing horror of Israel’s actions in Gaza and the systematic dehumanization of Palestinians. As their statement explains: “We will not engage with Israeli literary institutions or participate in events sponsored by them.” These authors, with the clarity that comes from empathy and truth, refuse to participate in a system that contributes to the erasure of an entire people. The letter goes on, “This is a genocide, as leading expert scholars and institutions have been saying for months. Israeli officials speak plainly of their motivations to eliminate the population of Gaza, to make Palestinian statehood impossible, and to seize Palestinian land. This follows 75 years of displacement, ethnic cleansing, and apartheid.” If you claim to value literature, it’s time to examine your own values and choices. Will you, as an elected official, remain supportive of a state committing genocide? Will you continue to ignore the voices of authors, activists, and civilians who are pleading for basic human rights for Palestinians? The authors write: “To participate in Israeli state institutions is to collude with the erasure of the Palestinian people.” The literary boycott is not a mere cultural stand—it’s an urgent message about dignity, justice, and the profound obligation to confront systematic violence. How can you, as a leader, support policies that contradict the values of compassion, humanity, and respect for others, especially when over a thousand respected authors are telling you in no uncertain terms that Israel’s actions are indefensible? The integrity of those who create and elevate our understanding of human experiences should be a guiding light for policymakers. Authors worldwide are reminding us that, at this moment, support for Israel’s actions in Gaza is morally indefensible. Will you heed their call? For those who claim to respect literature and the power of words, ignoring this stand would be a betrayal not only to Palestinian lives but to the integrity of truth itself. (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/11KaIIavJWoaoyA5d969dk1MbgH6mRgaC7FTmNb-2tpw/viewform?pli=1&pli=1&pli=1&edit_requested=true)