Disney is why no one should think in "black and white."

[Pacifist Patriot]

They own a network that is airing a Republican love-fest at the expense of President Clinton and the democrats.

They are instituting finger printing into their ticketing system.

They provide benefits to same-gender partnerships.

They have begun producing movies that break gender molds (Mulan, Finding Nemo)

What is a modern progressive to think or do?

[William769]

1. Disney is not beholding to anyone but themselves.

You at least got to give them credit for that.

[Pacifist Patriot]

2. I have to agree with that.

It's a capitalist enterprise. I don't think it's wedded to any particular political party. Whatever environment allows them to succeed will be the environment they prefer to exist in. I don't think they care which political party is in power as long as they make money hand over fist. Seems to me they are able to do quite well in any event.

(Though the finger print thing is throwing me over the edge.)

[William769]

4. I am torn also.

I have spent to many great Gay Days at Disney even though Disney does not officially sponsor this, the employees make it very enjoyable.

P.S. Where else am I going to meet my prince charming?

[Pacifist Patriot]

5. I love Gay Days at Disney

We're straight, but we always take our kids over there at that time. It's such a nice experience.

P.S. I met my Prince Charming at a frat party, but that was a total fluke and *cough* a few years ago.

[bliss_eternal]

13. It breaks my heart as well...

because of their representation of those not usually represented, I've given them my money over the years. I go to Gay Days every year, I enjoy being in the park during that time to support the glbt commuunity.

I bought it when they said they weren't going to distribute Fahrenheit 9/11 because they didn't want to appear partisan and they didn't want to put off any of their varied customers.

Unfortunately, this is it. This action in and of itself is enough to contradict those statements about F 9/11. I will keep the films I've bought over the years and in time I will enjoy them again. But I don't want to give money to a company that can turn on a dime and lie about it's motives this way.

Why should I give my money to them? So they can fund MORE rw propaganda? No thanks...

[Eric J in MN]

3. The November elections are more important than

...most of the things you listed, and Disney is trying to win it for the Republicans with "The Path to 9/11."

Disney also plays Rush Limbaugh for 15 hours/week on ABC Radio.

[Pacifist Patriot]

7. never tuned in to ABC radio. Barf!

Thanks for the info.

[AntiFascist]

6. Remember several years ago the Kingdom Holding Company commercials?

Wealthy Saudis were under attack for their role in 9/11, so they began a PR campaign showing how they "benevolently" had invested much of their wealth into American companies. During the commercial you would see the logos of 20th Century Fox, Disney, and Time-Warner flying by (gee, what do these companies have in common?) amongst others. The problem is, when media control is put into the hands of the wealthy few, we are faced with some of the propaganda seen now.

[Leopolds Ghost]

8. Disney funded Jeb Bush's reelection purely in order to stop a rail line

Florida High Speed Rail Initiative, overturned by Jeb Bush because it would have had a station on the edge of Disney World and a station more central to competing nearby amusement parks like Sea World. So they killed it statewide.

And how many Dems are willing to be fingerprinted just so they can support "Gay Day"? This is what Thomas Frank and others meant by allowing the culture war to ditrat both liberals and working-class "redneck conservatives" (so-named by liberals themselves at the prompting of media corporations whose goal is to divide the population into marketable, manageable segments).

[William769]

9. It's called capitalism, it's what America is all about

And nobody is going to change that.

[AntiFascist]

10. What do you call it when monopolies prevent or slow down....

development of competing technologies, as in the oil industry? Sounds rather predatory to me.

[William769]

11. Now your changing the subject.

Monopolies are illegal. It's up to the Government to take care of that and of course it's up to the people to make sure the Government does.

[AntiFascist]

14. What about media monopolies?

Sure we have competition between the largest conglomerates, but when they all share much of the same bias, and their largest advertisers represent oil or fossel-fueled autos then there's not much we can do about it.

[William769]

15. The law was changed they are not monopolies.

We need to hold the Government responsible for that and we will. It will just take a little time.

[AntiFascist]

16. In the meantime you can rest assured that they will be doing...

everything in their power to ensure that the "right people" get elected to office.

[The Straight Story]

12. An important question you bring up

No matter which way a company goes, it will get lambasted by someone.

The right will boycott them due to X, but if they do Y it will be us.


Either way they go, they get enemies.

[bliss_eternal]

17. It pissed me off when they did not back F 9/11...

...but I did not boycott them. At the time, I felt the good of the company outweighed that one issue. I chose to allow that issue to stand alone, and to extend the company some latitude.

I've watched and supported them while they've been under attack from the right for several alleged infringements that concerned the Christian right.

I believe that many consumers are able to allow companies a certain amount of latitude, where their business is concerned, if the company continues to make choices that are positive for ALL concerned--when they TRY in earnest to not be partisan in their policies. But when the company reaches a point where it seems they are blatantly kissing the ass of one party, or group of people over the other... :mad:

This is beyond anything I can sit for unfortunately and they have lost me as a fan and supporter.