25 Comments
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Ian Mark Sirota's avatar

I just can't get over the cruelty of this and similar pieces of legislation. I know--for its supporters, the cruelty IS the point, but I just can't understand how people have so much hate in their hearts to support laws like this.

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tejaskr's avatar

It’s sickening to watch their sappy shit when the people running the company are such evil mercenaries

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QSAT's avatar

“the bill does not prohibit teaching young children about heterosexual sex” and yet, with straight faces, they call it the “anti-grooming bill.” More absurd hypocrisy from the Republicans.

I used to visit friends who live in Florida, but I will NEVER spend another tourist dollar there. (And my friends are leaving the state, too.) But perhaps the most frightening aspect of this situation is that Florida is trying to export DeSantis to a national platform where he could attempt to impose his troglodyte ideas on the rest of us. The anti-gay bill, coupled with his anti-mask and anti-vaccine rules, make me very frightened for the children of Florida.

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Leon Stauffer's avatar

Yup, it's another re-run of the homophobe's favorite trope, "aLL tHe GaYs ArE PeDoS". Never mind that children are FAR more likely to be sexually abused by someone of the opposite sex (and that it's much more likely to be a family member than a teacher). Of course they know this is nonsense, they just don't care, it's another excuse to be cruel.

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Bill from UWS's avatar

So disheartening. We know other states will move in the same direction and quickly. So what is to be done?

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Leon Stauffer's avatar

You know, I never actually thought I'd miss Bob Iger. At least Iger was willing to take a public stance and stick to it. The current Disney leadership's message in all this is "We're only in this for the money. Look, we're telling diverse stories, buy them, give us more dough." Sure, Disney has always operated that way, but at least with Iger they sometimes made actual statements and backed them up.

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Jarathen's avatar

Chapek was apparently notorious for his bottom line and cost-cutting calculations. Parks fans especially were not thrilled at his promotion.

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De Sledge's avatar

Disney, I call bullshit. And, DeSantis, you're an evil bully. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

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Monica's avatar

Disney wants to stay out of politics but then what’s up with the political lobbyists and the political giving. I thought they were about letting their products/work speak for themselves. What bs!

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Zack Ruskin's avatar

Citing films you've released to prove your allyship in lieu of action is abhorrent

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Jake G.'s avatar

Absolutely disgusting on so many levels. I've become a more hateful person over the last few years because of the constant hate from the right. Maybe everyone here is a better person than I am, you probably all are, but I can't forget and forgive the past 4 years and I never will.

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SeekingReason's avatar

No one should ever forget 2016-Jan 6-and the continued attempt to push us into a fascist state!

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JerryBier's avatar

We need to give these Republicans in Florida some attention -- they could use some “grooming” as to what’s right and what’s wrong... They seem not to know.

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Gloria Kunik's avatar

The bill is horrifying, full stop. Yet there is one group not getting a lot of attention: Florida parents who oppose it or anything else DeSantis & company have done or are in the process of doing under the banner of education. They are the only people who have a chance of stopping it. Chapek is transparent whether or not he’s trying to be, and it’s disgusting, but I don’t believe Disney’s public comments for or against will have anywhere near the impact of loud public outcry from parents.

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Chip's avatar

Both statements from Disney execs Michael Paull and Bob Chapek are beyond cynical. The mind boggling nerve of Paull’s message to offer therapy while failing to address the abusers of gay families is tone deaf in sxtreme. Shame on the HRC if it does not return Paull’s pitiful donation with a "Thanks but no thanks" though I would love to see his ‘empathic donation’ compared to his salary to be honest. As for Chapek, you well established who he runs with. So much for Gay Days in Orlando , I hope.

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Pat David's avatar

Well done!

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Stephan's avatar

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/animation-guild-disney-bob-chapek-dont-say-gay-bill-1235107354/ "Animation Guild Condemns Disney’s “Failed” Response to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill"

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Arista's avatar

Thank you for this article! I wish when articles came out like this that there were links/information for those of us who would like to call and or email those who need to hear from us to share our outrage. I'm always gung-ho and have the red-ass and want to express myself to those making these horrible and cowardly decisions, but sometimes I have trouble getting accurate or the latest and most accurate contact information. I mean, I'm not looking to call an 800 and talk to an operator - I'd really like my message to get to the right place. Just a suggestion that I would find helpful.

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Steven Linhart's avatar

This is so bad, it's almost like Vlad is in control of the FL legislature. Republicans are seeming turning into fascists, (since 2016), and control freaks. The next elections are fighting, everyone must know by now, there is no bi-partisanship anywhere. The view of the Republican party, (GQP), is my way or the highway. It's very sad that Disney has been taken over by the Republican party. I hope they lose lots of income from us poor folks not attending and buying merch.

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