Dear Disney,
For weeks now I’ve been sorting out why I’m so troubled about your connection to the Zimmerman case and the now infamous Stand Your Ground law. After all, how on earth is your business even remotely aligned to that sordid mess? But tonight, just a few hours ago, I had a “lightbulb” moment. It was during an online argument with associates of another publicly traded Company who occasionally hold conference business in Orlando, Florida (something I vehemently object to until Stand Your Ground is repealed) that it suddenly, painfully dawned upon me exactly how your Organization is tied to it all and why I’m sick about it.
I’m a huge fan of yours. Your parks bring out the kid in all of us. A very recent visit to the original Disneyland after 25 years absence was a joyous day, for me.
Trayvon Martin was a typical teenager. Perhaps he even visited DisneyWorld as a child and throughout his youth, with family and friends. All families want to do that. All friends want to do that. Disney is an American rite of passage and an integral part of our Society. This comes with great responsibility and care for the dreams and aspirations of children. More than a few great minds have been inspired as young people by the Disney vision of how we should feel about ourselves and others. What child doesn’t want a family like The Lion King’s ?
But now, the heartaching truth about you, Disney. Your flagship, DisneyWorld, sits in center of a State that kills children and gets away with it under the falsehoods of Stand Your Ground.
While families from around the world come to enjoy the Magic Kingdom, outside your fabled walls is a living nightmare that is the rest of Florida.
Yes, it’s true how you have absolutely no control of the outside world that is Florida. You cannot monitor the terrible acts of people who didn’t learn anything from viewing Snow White. Still, there is something about you we do recognize:
You are a tax base for a rotten legislative and law enforcement cancer.
As painful as it has become to recognize about you, my friend, my hero; you are feeding the problem. Therefore, a growing Movement that I’ve joined has to do with boycotting you and all publicly traded companies doing business in Florida.
Change is going to be difficult. Some of my own contacts and acquaintances have severed ties regarding my own stand. But that’s ok. Change begins with the first step. I’m just one person out here with a strong opinion, but know there are others who feel the same. Together, we’re going to make a go of this.
We’re going to speak with the one thing that matters to Corporate America.
Our Money.
As this is modern society, I may take a plane to march on Washington D.C. August 24th – most likely run by an airline that also has routes to Florida, so I can’t be a purist. But I’m following the money. I’m watching the dollar trail. And after it’s said and done in Florida, we’ll look at all the other places where variation of this hideous statute exists where children can be cut down for not meeting our own standard of appearance.
In the meantime, I ask you to consider carefully what it really means to manifest your Brand, for the children.
The Dexter Experience 