 Walt Disney (pictured right) must surely be turning over in his grave this evening. His name and the entertainment empire that he built has been hijacked by the right wing politicos in an attempt to use the horrible, national tragedy of the 9-11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City 5 years ago for political gain.
I met Walt Disney in Palm Springs, California in the mid 1960's. We were at a spring training game for the Angels baseball team. I remember him being a friendly and kind man who more than tolerated all of us kids clammoring around him for some attention. He was kind enough to sign a baseball for me.
I cannot bring myself to believe that this man who has brought so much joy to the world would ever approve of the scurrilous actions of the people who control his company in 2006. And so it is with some sadness that I would use my political voice to call for a boycott of all things Disney.
I know that boycotts very seldom have much effect but I believe that we have to let these corporations know when we do not approve of their actions, and it seems that the only language that they speak is money and the only way to express outrage is to deny them their life's blood, money.
In airing tonights "docu-drama" The path to 9-11, The Walt Disney Company and the ABC Television Network have violated the public trust. They have presented to the American people a right wing propoganda video and pretended that it was the truth. Even though they know that parts of the script are out and out lies that contradict the transcripts of the 9-11 commission report, which the producers of this propoganda point to as the basis of the script.
In comitting this fraud they have put their political agenda above their primary responsibility to inform and entertain the public. ABC television and each of it's affiliates operate under license from the FCC. That license does not grant them the right to distort the truth in an attempt to aid any political party trying to improve its standing with the voters. When the mainstream media acts in congress with the government to mislead the people, then nothing less then the very core of our Democracy is held in the balance.
And so I encourage all who read this to tell Disney and ABC that they were profoundly wrong to have aired this propoganda. Tell them in their own language. Turn off ABC, The Family Channel, The Disney Channel. Do not take your children to Walt Disney World or Disneyland until The corporation apologizes for their actions and makes ammends. |
