From: Rich_Koster@agwbbs.new-orleans.LA.US (Rich Koster)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.disney
Subject: Re: Why I love Disney, Part 47
Date: 6 Sep 92 00:02:59 GMT
Organization: The Amiga GateWay BBS * New Orleans, La.

This is to reply to sherw@ocf.berkeley.edu (Gregory Sherwin) Message
-ID: <18903dINNadk@agate.berkeley.edu> Date: 5 Sep 1992 00:47:41 GMT
Re: Why I love Disney, Part 47 To All, pointing out environmental and
other infractions made by the Disney company, critical of fandom
surrounding the Disney company despite the infractions made by this
and other American companies, as an example of what sender believes is
"what's wrong with America":
 
This reply comes from my wife, Carol:
 
Well, Jiminy Cricket and Gorsh! (to quote Goofy):
 
1) Your post indicated that many infractions were in fact brought to
court and adjudicated.  That fines have not yet been paid may indicate
the case in question is on appeal, or if the fines were paid Disney's
acceptance of the verdict and positive action to carry out the
penalty.  So the legal and regulatory system is, in fact, working to
find a fair solution to the cases you cited.
 
2) As for Disney's corporate dress and appearance code requiring no
facial hair, many companies, large and small, set standards of
appearance for employees who come into contact with the public, and
the employees are told clearly what's expected of them when they're
hired, sometimes have to sign something acknowledging they've read
and understood the corporate policies as pertaining to them and their
job.  The employee who cannot meet these standards is free to decline
the offer of continued employment.
 
3) Corporations, Disney and McDonalds come to mind though there are
others, have a right to protect and restrict use of copyrighted logos
and figures.  Disney characters, terms, songs and story treatments,
and even certain architecture on the property are all copyrighted for
their protection.  My high school in Sacramento had to ask Charles
Schultz' permission to use Peanuts characters throughout our yearbook
in 1969, which he graciously granted.  Sometimes cases like painting
over Disney characters on a pre-school wall with Warner Brothers
characters may seem trivial, but observe that Warner Brothers is the
one doing the painting, implying their granting permission for use of
copyrighted characters and augmenting _their_ public relations in a
competitive entertainment industry (Warner and Disney have been
competitive with each other and their characters and films for
decades).  Copyright protection laws are very strict and very detailed
and few people take the time or hire the expertise to research them
prior to proceeding with a project, I'm afraid.  Too bad it happened
to a pre-school.  Had they chosen characters in the public domain
there wouldn't have been a problem.
 
4) No one posting here, or who rents or buys a Disney video for a
child, or who buys an item of Disney merchandise is stupid or naive.
You overlook the fact that there are plenty of college grads and
higher out there in the middle-class and above.  We can think for
ourselves.  Do you believe we're all walking around saying "duhhhhh"?
Disney has as much a right to make money and exist and survive in a
market economy as any other business.  Consumers may exercise their
choices in the marketplace as their means and preferences allow.
If the stockholders had grave concerns over the way the company was
run as to its environmental and social-corporate policy, Eisner and
his co-executives would be out by now.  The stockholders are not
stupid or ill-informed or living in a la-la land.
 
5) Walt Disney's first drawing was in tar on the side of his father's
house when he was a child (the side that faced the street, no less!).
From there he had the guts and will to market his talents, and became
an entrepreneur, founding what became an international entertainment
company which employs thousands of people, who in turn support
themselves and their families, buy homes and pay into the tax system.
The freedom to be an entrepreneur, to fail, to start again, to make
all kinds of mistakes or succeed, is part of what's right with America,
and Walt Disney exemplified it.
 
6) As far as "shelling out money" for the myth of a beautiful world:
Resorts all over the world are like this, that's the purpose of a
resort, that's the purpose of theme parks and that's the purpose of a
vacation...to get away from it all.  Vacations run into money.
Entertainment costs money.  The performer, artist, creator all deserve
a chance to make money, support themselves, families, households....
Some of us are willing to pay that money to support the artists and
entertainers whom we enjoy, to support the vacation spots where we
have fun.  When we leave Disney, the real world is still there, with
all it's tears, challenges, joys, failures, successes, frustrations.
Why go to concerts, buy CDs, rent videos, take vacations, even go out
to dinner?  To savor life, enjoy oneself with the best life has to
offer, escape from the daily struggle of living, enjoy the talents and
skills of other people, and refresh the body, mind and spirit.  It's
*uplifting*, same as some Disney stuff!
 
7) Recreation may mean different things to different people.  For us
on this conference it concerns various aspects of Disney
entertainment.  We have respite from the backbiting of the world,
which you saw fit to share with us.  There are several posts I've read
on this conference which do not always cast Disney in the rosy light
you think we see that company in.  We all here are well aware that
Disney company has certain faults.  But so does any person, place,
company or thing!  What's perfect in this world?  So Disney and other
corporations make mistakes, sometimes beauts of mistakes, which you
dislike?  _You_haven't_made_mistakes_in_*your*_lifetime_, so you act
as judge and jury of a huge corporation and of us?  I'd like to cross
check your answer with your momma....
 
8) On this conference and a similar one on FIDONET, we've discovered
others who share a like interest in the subject of Disney, so we
converse and make new friends and help each other out with
information.  So it doesn't float your boat?  Ignore it!  Don't read
the posts here, 'cause you already know you vehemently disagree with
them, send flaming replies, receive flaming replies, and get yourself
and others worked up into tizzies that aren't productive _or_
persuasive enough to budge the positions of either set of interests.
Stick to conferences, and companies and stock funds, which share your
interests in the environment and socially responsible corporations.
Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream, for example.  That's a way of thinking, and
acting, positively on your beliefs!  (Did you know that Disney hired a
few hundred kids from South Central L. A. after the turbulence there?
See their 3rd Quarterly Report.)
 
9) There are a lot of entertainment companies which exploit the fame
or notoreity of artists, characters, personalities or passing social
conditions for the sake of a buck, not just Disney.  Usually such
entertainment is short-lived.  But Disney has hung on, in good and
bad economic times, for several decades and several generations.  Must
be something very solid, basic and popular to explain this longevity,
something the public wants and demands and supports from one
generation to the next.  What is it?  (Could it be, shhhhhhhh,
[whispering now] "family values" or "uplifting"?)
 
10) If individuals choose to enjoy Disney characters, or believe as a
culture in Santa Claus or other fantasies, who are you as an authority
to say they may not, or may not have that touch of magic in their
lives?  There are many cultures around the world who pass such folk
tales to their children, generation after generation.  Check out the
writings of and about Joseph Campbell.  These tales and characters
provide a cultural service:  Passing down a belief system, a moral
code of conduct, stories of heroism, quest and struggle, dreams,
hope.  Campbell criticized today's culture for not having a folk
tradition to hand down to kids, the closest we come today is the Star
Wars trilogy, which George Lucas based on...folk tales!  So, you are
criticizing the beliefs of people who believe in a Papa Noel, Kris
Kringle, Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, God and religion, or
whatever creatures their culture may have, etc., as well as
criticizing thosewho choose to be entertained by Disney characters?
We identify closely with, say, Disney characters because their
foibles, misadventures and antics mimic everyday situations we're
faced with, or could face, or represent symbolism of such situations.
We se ourselves, learn to laugh at ourselves, face adversity head on
and overcome it.  Why are slasher, or mystery, or adventure, or
fantasy movies so popular?  People safely and vicariously live that life
along with the characters without having to actually d it.  Other
movie companies than Disney offer this type of entertainment, why
single one compnay out?  So, how are children and adults supposed to
learn to use their imaginations and foster creative talents and
dreams, story telling?  What outlet would _you_ propose?  American
Indians, Sweden, France, Russia, Africa will be delighted to hear your
views, I'm sure!
 
BTW, an article along the environmental and other criticism lines you
discussed appeared a couple of years ago in a magazine called Insight,
I don't remember what year and issue, though.  One thing it mentioned
was how a child fell off the castle bridge at WDW Magic Kingdom and
drowned in the moat, and sued Disney for damages, and it also
mentioned ome infractions involving sewage waste treatment.  I've
read elsewhere of a family who brought a terminally ill child on a
"Make a Wish" type trip to WDW, made it inside the MK gate, saw Mickey
Mouse greeting some other children and while waiting for Micky to
come over to him, died.  The family was discreetly and quickly taken
out of the park.  So, see, I do know some things about Disney that
aren't so very rosy, too!  And my husband and I are still looking
forward to our vacation at WDW later this month or the Disneyana
Convention, and to seeing the "Aladdin" animated movie when it comes
out in November!  (We'll be having FUN/While you'll be sitting GLUM/
We'll ride a mountain called SPLASH/While you sit on your A--/We'll
have a nice resort ROOM/While yo dwell at home on DOOM!  Heck,
fella, *lighten up* and learn to enjoy life...you're gonna get an
ulcer someday...)
 
Enjoyed conversing with you.  I am glad you offer such challenging
viewpoints.  You're free to express yourself here, but you'll find
pleny of differing opinion, due to the nature of this conference.
We can differ in our opinions and still coexist.  That's another thing
right with America!
 
--Sincerely, Carol Koster

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