This former Disney exec is sickened

Dear Walt Disney Company,

You probably don't remember me but I worked for you for almost 30 years. Starting in the mail room, I worked my way into animation, first as an inbetweener, then a story man. I wrote and sketched the Donald Duck comic strip for several years, then became head of the entire comic strip department.

Ultimately I served as Vice President of Creative for Publications, first domestic, then world-wide. Throughout my tenure at the studio, I did what I could to protect and maintain the Disney legacy, preserving the integrity and charm of Disney's animated characters and quality entertainment.

I'm sorry I haven't written lately, but I am writing now because I see danger ahead for Walt Disney's animated features and classic characters, and I'm concerned.

It appears the Disney organization has joined the politically correct mob by re-examining its classic characters and motion pictures within the framework of hypersensitive contemporary standards. You are in effect imposing "cancel culture" on your own product.

Several years ago, you shelved for all time one of Walt Disney's greatest achievements, the Academy Award winning, "The Song of the South," a picture filled with heart, laughter, warmth, and lots of love. In addition to the picture itself, all images and references to the characters in that charming movie have been erased from Disney company theme parks, consumer products and everything else.

A couple of weeks ago you added content warnings on old episodes of "The Muppet Show," apologetically acknowledging that the series engaged in "negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures."

And now, dear Walt Disney Company, you have removed multiple classic Disney films from profiles set for "Kids" on Disney+.

"Aladdin"(including the Live Action version and sequels),"The Aristocats," "Dumbo," "Lady and the Tramp," "Peter Pan," and "Swiss Family Robinson"have all been taken off. Gone.

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When a company like Disney engages in self-condemnation and apologetic disclaimers you may think you are doing the right thing, but you're not.

There was nothing mean-spirited or bad in the classic Disney features. What you are doing is helping to tear down an amazing legacy built over 90 years by some of the most talented people in the industry.

Further, you send a message to the public at large that certain of your pictures and characters are somehow bad and inappropriate for today's audiences.

Why should anyone expose their children to material that even the company that produced it admits is offensive and wrong?

Today it's "Peter Pan," "Dumbo," and "Lady and the Tramp." Where will it stop? It won't.

If you think apologizing for, and adding disclaimers to some classic Disney films will somehow placate the cancel culture censorship mob it will not happen.

Eventually disclaimers will not be enough, and a total ban of the "offensive" product will be demanded. And you will cave.

Once you start down this road you have opened the door to everything else in your library. It won't be long before every single one of your pictures and characters will be scrutinized under the microscope of phony political correctness and grievance.

Beginning with "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" literally every one of the Disney animated features could be considered inappropriate under today's crazy intolerant guidelines.

To start with, the earliest Disney pictures were produced almost 100% by white men. That in itself makes them a product of racist, colonial white privilege, which makes them unacceptable within the restrictive, cockeyed limitations of today's so-called enlightened times.

Please understand you are catering to the same group that has engaged in the destruction of national monuments and statues of American patriots, rewritten American history books, and has demanded the renaming of public schools and parks which bear the names of our past presidents. You are essentially joining in with the tear down western civilization crowd.

The name Walt Disney, his characters and animated pictures have entertained and delighted children of all ages, ethnicities, and nationalities for generations. There has never been anything mean-spirited, hateful or wrong in a Disney animated feature film. On the contrary, along with heart, good storytelling, and fun they projected hope, moral values, love and understanding.

Anyone who thinks there is anything negative or demeaning in the screen portrayal of Uncle Remus hasn't watched the movie. The man is an intelligent, creative, wonderous hero beloved by both black and whites in the film.

I spent a good deal of my life creating and upholding Disney traditions, character integrity, and high standards working at the studio. It sickens me to see them being discarded so quickly now because of an intolerant culture that only wants to censor everything that doesn't conform into contemporary dogma and attitudes.

As Winston Churchill once said, "If we open a quarrel between past and present, we shall find that we have lost the future."