From: jrjj@moscom.UUCP (Jad Jordan)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.disney
Subject: Re: Why I love Disney, Part 47
Date: 11 Sep 92 12:34:23 GMT
Reply-To: jrjj@moscom.UUCP (Jad Jordan)
Organization: Moscom Corp., Pittsford, NY

In article <18g693INN5lt@agate.berkeley.edu> witness@garnet.berkeley.edu writes:
>
>Umm - sir?  Question from the balcony! Didn't Mr. sherw@ocf write:
>> of "Why I think Disney represents everything that's wrong with America,
>> part 47".  Okay - I am being a little facetious here, but I don't think
>                                        ^^^^^^^^^
>fe-SE-shes: adj. Playfully jocular; humorous and flippant.

Obviously the poster knew what facetious meant, since they were being facetious
right back.

>Though Carol Koster's response was quite balanced and she seems well-informed
>about some of Disney's darker secrets, I think she generally represents
>the minority. 
>Personally, I was unaware of most of them too - however, I don't
>think that means I am an ignorant, uneducated fool.  However, it does mean
>that I think the PR people at Disney are very good at their jobs.

So, if you were weren't aware of them, you had to have some sense of reality
to realize Disney isn't completely innocent. My point being, most people in
the world have some sense of reality. Therefore, Ms. Koster is not in the
minority.  Just because we like Disney doesn't mean we are kids or live in
a rose-colored world.

>Mr. Sherwin's point, at least I think, was this: Disney isn't necessarily
>an evil corporate monster that deserves our condemnation, but that it
>doesn't deserve to be put on a pedestal either.  And to some extent, I
>think he speaks against the American preoccupation with image over
>substance.  Disney is a very image-based company - I think we all know
>this.  If they are willing to sue preschools over wall paintings - I think
>that's self evident.  Disney does a lot of good things - Make-a-wish for
>one.  But then there are also McDonald's and the Ronald McDonald House -
>where I think their food can likely be attributed closely to several cases
>of heart failure in the past 30 years! - and there are defense contractors
>that make nuclear weapons that donate to charities as well.

So what you are saying here, based on the analogies given is that Disney has
a Squeaky-Clean image, but there substance is equivalent to nuclear weapons
and disease causing agents. That is what this whole argument is about, and 
the poster (Tigger?) who you flaimed for saying Disney was responsible for
everything wrong in America was exagerating? Disney's substance, on the
average is far above the norm. Consitently excellant? No. Consistently
entertaining? No. A little money hungry? Probably. Above average substance?
You betcha.

>Disney feeds into this image preoccupation
>by excluding employees who might not look the way they want, by discriminating
>against sexual orientation, by sending out the hypocritical message that
>"it's a small world after all" - we are all human and should be tolerant
>of each other, but only as long as you look and have the sexual orientation
>that we feel is acceptable. 

This is no doubt in regard to the other post about Homosexual Discrimination.
Once again, you are accusing them of something based on rumor and innuendo.
There probably is some grain of truth in the story somewhere, but none of us
have heard both sides of the story. Informed decessions, not pre-judgements.

>As Carol Koster also writes (among countless other things!):

That's her right. Don't even try to say it isn't.

> "Beauty and the Beast" is not necessarily an exception to that
>either - as the Beast is transformed into a handsome prince eventually
>anyway - hence the story's moral in that aspect is already flawed.

The moral of the story is to look past image. The Beast turns into a prince
because Belle has learned to look past the outer image and learn to love
the person inside. Maybe you should see it again, and put aside your image
of the evil corporate money-hungry Disney to actually see what they are
saying.

      
      ()_()  Jad R. J. Jordan		"I hope we never lose sight of one 
       (_)   MOSCOM Corporation. 	 thing... That it all started with a
	     jrjj@moscom.com		 mouse."  - Walter E. Disney
						(the all-mighty creator)