The avarice & cowardice of Bob Chapek & other Disney leaders. Here is the end of a column ...
By Todd Regan (AKA, "Dusty Sage") on Micechat.com:
.... [Disneyland Resort] parks are currently celebrating Women’s History Month. A stage in Downtown Disney has a bright yellow banner exclaiming “Reimagine Tomorrow” and “Celebrate Her Story.”
So, it would be hard to imagine that a company with such robust support for all of its customers and employees would actually be funding politicians who are actively trying to harm these very same people. And yet, that’s what the Disney Company is doing. They are saying one thing and actively doing another.
You may have heard that Florida has proposed what is being called a “Don’t say gay” bill, and it looks like it could become state law. But what does that have to do with Disney? More than you might think… as Disney has donated to every single sponsor and co-sponsor of this bigoted and hurtful legislation!!!
What makes this all worse is that so many LGBTQ+ employees are being forced to move from their Disney jobs in safe and supportive California to this painfully hurtful environment in Florida… OR LOSE THEIR JOBS! Disney leaders Bob Chapek and Josh D’Amaro were quite vocal on political issues in California that kept the parks closed during a pandemic, hurting their profits. It ignited their passion to move as many jobs out of California as possible. The company is well into the process of moving almost all of the Parks, Experiences and Products division jobs out of California to a new development in Lake Nona Florida as we speak. Thousands of employees have already lost their jobs as a result. All to save some money on labor and get a tax break from Florida.
Where does the company stand in all of this? Have they demanded their money back from the bigots who so clearly violate every principle Disney pretends to stand for these days? Has Bob Chapek stood up on his platform of power to call upon Florida to respect all people? NO!
Instead, Disney has put out statements simply acknowledging the hurt, reiterating their policies, but not addressing the fact that they are enabling these hurtful actions through their donations. They claim that they give to both sides. It’s pay for play. They are essentially bribing politicians to get a tax break. In criminal law, if you aid someone in a crime you implicate yourself as well. So doing something wrong just to make more money is still doing something wrong. Leaders of public companies often times get so wrapped up in making money for demanding (and often morally bankrupt) shareholders and board members, that they forget that they also have a duty to their customers AND employees as well!
Disney is trying to claim that Bob Chapek doesn’t comment on political issues. But that is simply hogwash. He trashed Californian publicly simply because they were trying to save lives, and yet he seems just fine donating millions to bigots in a state he’d like a tax break from. He also just pulled his company’s movies from Russia on political grounds (which we applaud). So the Florida decision is clearly his preference. He has directed the company to say that they support their gay and lesbian guests and employees, but then put money directly into the pockets of politicians who want to harm those very same people. AND, mind you, FORCE gay employees to move to Florida in the middle of this terrible time.
Where is the compassion, Bob? Where is the outrage, Josh? Where are the demands that Florida do the right thing or you’ll move your jobs out of the state (as you did in California)?
Here is the public comment Disney is willing to share, the same they gave to ABC News:
“We understand how important this issue is to our LGBTQ+ employees and many others. For nearly a century, Disney has been a unifying force that brings people together. We are determined that it remains a place where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. The biggest impact we can have in creating a more inclusive world is through the inspiring content we produce, the welcoming culture we create here, and the diverse community organizations we support, including those representing the LGBTQ+ community.”
If we are to take Disney at their word, and given the current situation and the precarious position so many Disney employees are in, we think it’s only right that Disney put its money where its mouth is and do the right thing: 1) Make a public statement rebuking Florida’s hateful legislation. 2) Demand donations be returned from those supporting the bill. 3) Allow LGBTQ+ employees to remain in Californian and not force employees to move to Florida under this hostile environment. We believe the company’s own HR policies can also be used to justify allowing employees to stay here anyway, and we encourage all of Disney’s employees who feel uncomfortable moving to Florida to file HR complaints on the grounds that it’s a hostile environment.
This is more than a political issue, it’s a moral one. Is Disney going to live by the principles and policies they claim guide them, or are they going to say all the right things in public, but then use their money to empower evil?
Disney is a big company, it can take them a while to act, and I really thought they were working themselves toward doing the right thing. But they seem to be doubling down on doublespeak and deception, using empty words while stuffing the pockets of bigots. Keep that in mind as you read future statements from Disney that profess to care about the pain and suffering their employees are feeling. Because until Disney actually demands that money back, draws a line in the sand for Florida, and provides a safe alternative for their LGBTQ+ employees, Disney is just as much at fault as the hate-mongers in the Florida legislature they are so warmly embracing.
I’ll be closely watching the Disney shareholder meeting this week for any sign that a single board member had a spine, or a conscience. I suspect they are all driven solely by money and have no concern whatsoever about ethics or even the company’s own written principles. But I hope I’m wrong.
but I voted other - 
