One of my early memories as a child was playing with a Mickey Mouse that talked when I pulled his string, saying brilliant things like “Don’t pull my string.” I remember my mom and dad taking me to see the classic Disney movies at the Saturday matinees in the old Washita Theatre in Chickasha, Oklahoma. I remember my mom speaking wistfully about the Mickey Mouse Club show of her youth and her singing at Disneyland when it first opened. I remember our cross-country drive to Disneyland when I was 6, costing what must have been a substantial amount of my father’s salary. I have countless other positive memories of Disney. I lost the Texas Farm Bureau hat my grandfather gave to me during that Disney trip on the first dip of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and it was in an envelope at my home in Chickasha when I returned. That was impressive to a six-year-old. Talk about making memories!
My family loves Disney. As adults, we have taken our family to both U.S. theme parks and resorts multiple times. We immerse ourselves in the Disney experience. The children watched the Disney Channel with full freedom for years until three years ago when the liberal indoctrination began to bombard them during commercials. Now we stick to Disney Plus, which allows them to choose older programming. We shield the kids from the Disney of now to give them the Disney of yesterday. That’s clearly not a sustainable strategy.
Disney built its empire on being family-friendly entertainment. It was an American institution, which made it a target. Just like with the media, higher education, and Christian churches, progressives sought to bring down Disney exactly as Andrew Breitbart predicted they would with their “long march through the institutions” strategy. It’s a brilliant tactic. Identify the wholesome institutions to which conservatives listen, grab the microphone from the Mouse and start spewing propaganda to undermine their core values. Progressives are pulling the talking Mickey’s string and making him say what they want. Satan couldn’t have hatched a more sinister plan if he tried. Disney had the chance to stand up and fight for their customer base, but they rolled over and let the progressives go for their throat. The progressives don’t want Disney—they want us! Disney is just their latest tool to undermine our values.
The line from the 1968 Simon and Garfunkel song come to mind: “Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you. What’s that you say, Mrs. Robinson? Joltin’ Joe has left and gone away.” Disney had the chance to step up to the plate and swing for American values.
Unfortunately for Disney, they let that moment pass. They no longer share the wholesome family values of the majority Americans. They mock Christians with the programming they infect other platforms with such as “Little Demon”. We can all save the extra money we spent on Disney products and use it to offset the rising costs of food, fuel, education, and everything else touched by the Democrats and the Biden Administration.
Disney, you missed your chance to stand up for American values. When the game was on the line, bat firmly placed on your shoulders, you struck out looking. You were a coward, and America is worse off for missing out on the wholesome joy you provided before you sold your soul and alienated your customer base. The progressives won’t care about you when your customers are gone. They used you. You struck out.