Letter from the Editor

"HOW I SPENT THE STRIKE!"

During the last campaign for the SAG presidency Melissa Gilbert was taking a lot of heat because of her lack of support for her fellow actors during the strike. She never attended one rally, never hit one picket line, and when contacted by phone (for the third time,) she told the Cagney Room volunteer in no uncertain words to never call again.

Anyway, under pressure to explain her lack of participation, Ms. Gilbert drafted a letter and had it forwarded to members to let them better understand her reasons for staying home. Actually, technically, she didn't just stay at home as her letter succinctly details in a month by month, blow by blow timeline of how she spent the strike.

In fairness to Melissa and since some of the same troubling questions have resurfaced, SAG Watchdog has decided to publish her letter, unedited, as a public service to our members. We have added a couple of photos for emphasis, but otherwise these are Ms. Gilbert's actual words!

By Melissa Gilbert

...As for my participation in the strike. I have said that those few months were very busy for me as I was working and dealing with family issues. My name is on the contract campaign and although, I wanted to participate, I was unable to. The fact is that I was only asked to be at two events and my schedule wouldn't allow my attendance. I can say that whatever guilt feelings I had were calmed when I saw so many recognizable faces out there. I am also proud and moved by the commitment from the branches. Without the tremendous national turnout things would have been a lot different. There are many new board members who did participate in strike activities. In fact, their activities during the strike were the first time that they got involved with the guild at all. That is not the case with me. I worked on the guild's legislative endeavors extensively for years before the strike. That has been my response to the question of my participation up to this point. Unfortunately it has not been enough for some people. So, I went through my 2000 date book. What follows is a general accounting of my life for those six months:

Early April - I was filming a pilot for Aaron Spelling

Mid April -
I had bone graft surgery on my jaw
and was unable to go out
in public for weeks.

Late April - I was in a lawsuit
filed by the people who bought my old house.

Early May - I was in Houston
celebrating my son's birthday.

He lives there with my ex-husband.

Mid May to late May -
I was here celebrating my birthday,
my husband's birthday
& flying in-laws in and out of town.

June - My kids
were out of school and my nanny quit.

Late June-
I was helping my newly divorced best friend

care for her family after she had surgery.

July - I spent the month nursing my husband after he had knee surgery.

August - I began construction on my new home.

September-October -
I was on location

shooting a movie for CBS.

During all of this I was caring for a terminally ill dog.

I really don't feel that what goes on in my life is anyone's business. Unfortunately divulging this information seems to be the only way I can get my point across. My opponents are using that fact that I did not participate in the strike as a campaign tool. They have said nothing about my platform or my views. It kind of makes me think that if this is all they can say about me, then maybe everything I am saying is right.

I thank you for your concern about our union. I thank you for your involvement. I want to leave you with one last thing. Whether I am president or not, I am on the board for two more years and I will continue to fight for what I and many people believe is best for our union and its members.

Thank you again,

Melissa Gilbert