Watching the downfall of Walt Disney’s iconic legacy stirs some powerful emotions and, for many of us, a great sense of loss. I understand the frustration and anger parents feel at such a betrayal, but as I look on at the justifiable uprising, all I can feel is profound sadness.
Disney has been an American institution for almost a century. I grew up wishing upon a star and dreaming one day my prince would come, and my family has made Disney a part of our lives for four generations. It was something we could count on to inspire little boys and girls to reach for the stars.
But somewhere along the line, Disney executives decided family values weren’t cool anymore. While they’ve been slowly purging those trusted values, we’ve grasped at anything good there was left to hold on to. But there is little to hold on to when Disney executives are no longer just purging family values but aggressively attacking them altogether.
The Disney I used to know put the safety of children above politics and radical agendas. It was a place where innovation was a daily discovery and imaginarium was a real word. It was not just a place or a film. It was a belief — one that even adults embraced — that dreams really can come true.
Unfortunately, Disney has gone the way of too many corporations who believe “woke” is a badge of honor. They have been ill-advised, bullied and intimidated into believing abandoning their core mission and alienating their consumer base is the “cool” thing to do.
But there are consequences, and it would be wise for Disney to learn from the sports industry and realize American consumers don’t want agendas shoved down their throats, they just want to enjoy a good game and have fun at a park. And they want support as they seek to parent their children with strong values, good morals, and many on a foundation of faith.
Instead, we’ve seen firsthand how the deceptive “inclusion and diversity” cancer has infiltrated every aspect of our society, promoting the very opposite of what the words imply. Instead, this mantra promotes exclusion and creates divisiveness.
That is why moms are pushing back. It is why we’re taking time from our busy days and full schedules to write letters, make phone calls and stand outside Disney theme parks with flags and signs. We’re tired of being ignored. We’ve lost too much, and we’re not willing to lose any more.
I hope that Disney executives listen to all the parents speaking up and realize it is we who guide markets and shape cultures, not “diversity experts” trained in lies and deceit. We are the ones who watch movies, visit theme parks and buy mouse ears. But if all our letters, phone calls and rallies fall on deaf ears, we moms will create the change we wish to see in the world — beginning in our own homes. As moms, if we don’t like what we see, we have the power to change it!
Dreams really do come true, and my dream is a future of leaders, dreamers and patriots who will stand for truth, respect life, defend the family and cherish freedom. And one day, our little dreamers will replace the mindless robots and empty suits filling corporate halls and return Disney to the dream it once was and begin imagining again. {eoa}
Kimberly Fletcher is the wife of a retired Air Force officer, mother of eight children, and the president and founder of Moms for America. With over 20 years’ experience in grassroots activism, Kimberly has grown Moms for America into a powerful platform building grassroots networks across the country. An author, columnist and radio host, Kimberly has made it her personal mission to educate and inspire the women of America to influence our country and culture simply by being who they are. You can find more information about Moms for America at momsforamerica.us. Listen to this podcast episode on the Charisma Podcast Network, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.
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