In 1997, the Southern Baptist Convention launched a boycott of Disney, once again for their pro-gay policies.
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Disney just dug its heels. I mean, they basically said to the Southern Baptist Convention, “Fuck you, we don’t need you.” I don’t know whether the Disney guys were just arrogant or confident, but from the very beginning, they gave not an inch… The Baptists quickly learned that there was no real alternative in terms of popular culture for young children other than Disney. So, they were talking about sacrifice. And I think sacrifice is one thing if they’re asking adults to make it. Disney parks had by that time become a cultural imperative. Which is to say, if you wanted to be a good parent or a good grandparent, taking your children or grandchildren to one of the Disney parks became a cultural imperative. That’s one of the things—one of the boxes you had to tick. And they were a little bit queasy with trying to tell a 7-year-old that we’re not going to Disneyland or Disney World because we think they’re not as friendly to evangelicals as Walt was 30 years ago.
… DeSantis, in my view—and I’ve been covering Southern politics since 1972—is a political thug, a bully, and an arrogant person. Since his rise, no one of equal stature, until now, has stood up to him and said no. I think he really didn’t understand the power that a corporation like Disney wields… I don’t think he realized that Disney punches back, and they may punch back better than he punches. He shouldn’t set himself up to stand or fall on whether he can get Disney to capitulate, because he will never get Disney to capitulate. It will not happen. It didn’t happen in the ’90s, and for sure it’s not going to happen now. And if you had to bet, would you bet on an ambitious Florida governor, or would you bet on a multibillion-dollar corporation that knows what its audience wants?
April 29th, 2023 at 1:09PM
Love to see this impassioned liberal defense of exploitative, monopolistic mega-corporations! Where was this laissez-faire ethic in the days when mean progressive bully-politicians were trying to oppress giants like US Steel into complying with regulations?
April 29th, 2023 at 1:11PM
I get the monopolistic thing — but exploitative? Lefty outfits are always accusing Disney of exploitation, but in court cases on the matter Disney tends to prevail. Evil powerful corporation w/ sleazy high-paid lawyers?
April 29th, 2023 at 2:12PM
@Margaret Soltan: But, /why/ have Disney prevailed? Are their hands truly clean or are juries blinded by the faux corporate patriotism implicit in “…if you wanted to be a good parent or a good grandparent, taking your children or grandchildren to one of the Disney parks became a cultural imperative. That’s one of the things—one of the boxes you had to tick.”
Does the calculus change if a right wing billionaire (of which the US has so many) purchases a significant interest in Disney and forces changes?
April 30th, 2023 at 7:26AM
Dmitry: Actually, I don’t think at bottom it’s so much about Disney having prevailed in this or that particular fight or direction; I’m thinking here of the “privileged position of business” idea (Charles Lindblom), or what T. Friedman calls “the golden straitjacket.” Economic history has gotten to the point where a powerful, well-run corporation like Disney will, if you like, almost HAVE to prevail.
As for the rightwing billionaire you mention: As the guy interviewed (in the article my post cites) says, Disney knows its audience. Ken Griffin can bite himself off a huge chunk of Disney if he likes, I suppose, but Disney didn’t get where it is by caving to the reactionary whims of shareholders.
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“DeSantis and his allies are effectively asking the courts to reject a host of arguments that many conservative lawyers and judges would ordinarily embrace as logical extensions of the business-friendly jurisprudence that they have worked to advance with great success in the courts.”