Howdy friends
Hope all is well!
Just a bit of a forewarning here before you read any further… today’s post is a bit personal and political in nature. I pride myself in my ability to reach across the political aisle and befriend even people with whom I disagree… so I know there will be people reading this that will not necessarily like what I’m about to say. Nevertheless, I feel very strongly about this and that I need to use the platform I have created to share these thoughts.
Last night, Keri and I made the decision to cancel our Disney + subscription. This decision came in the wake of the ‘Reimagine Tomorrow’ campaign which promises that 50 percent of characters and content would be from underrepresented groups by 2022.
I grew up loving Disney movies. I was fortunate enough to go to Disney World twice with my high school band and march in a parade. Such an unforgettable experience for which I am forever grateful. Moving into parenthood, Pixar movies such as Cars, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Brave have dominated our screens in our home and vehicles. Disney has played a huge part in my human experience.
However, I am going to have to draw the line when they begin to include an agenda in their characters into the plot of their movies. I feel like these situations need to be explained in the context of real life and NOT in the fantasy world in which a Disney movie creates. Our home is a sacred place and I refuse to have questions and situations about sexuality Trojan horsed into my kids’ entertainment.
Now I will be clear to say that I am 100 percent for equal treatment of all people regardless of gender, race, and/or sexual orientation. The bio in my Twitter profile succinctly states that I am “Conservative in life. Libertarian in politics.” What that means is that I practice a traditional, Judeo-Christian lifestyle and am a staunch follower of my Christian religion… but I believe that EVERYONE should be able to believe and practice what they choose. That is an inalienable right. In fact one of the Articles of Faith in my church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints states We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.
I believe that we don’t get to choose who we love. That attractions are natural. However, I do not believe this sort of thing needs to be a major plot point of children’s movies. I do not want race nor sexual theory to be brought up in these movies. I want these movies to teach everyone that we are brought more together by our similarities than we are separated by our differences. I want to be in full control of the type of messages that are put in front of my children to give themselves a firm foundation to make their own decisions when they become adults. I am not interested in a corporation indoctrinating my children as to what they should and shouldn’t believe.
So with all that being said, we are cancelling Disney +. That is a decision for my family and my family alone. I am not recommending you either keep or cancel the service if you have it. I do recommend that you take a close look at your values and align the content which you consume accordingly.
Jason