The art of the deal, Disney style
China is a cesspool of human rights abuse. Despite the despicable degradations imposed upon its citizens, the Walt Disney Company aggressively pursues commerce with the country known as the Red Dragon. By contrast, Disney threatens to withdraw from Georgia because of recent pro human rights legislation that restricts human abortion.
Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Protests
Thirty years ago today, a fledgling freedom movement in China was snuffed out when the military indiscriminately fired into a crowd of protestors consisting of unarmed students and civilians. Soldiers killed thousands. The government persecuted thousands more later.
Have human rights gotten better in China since? No. And yet Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger, recently gushed about Disney’s desire to expand aggressively into China:
“We have a lot of development activity right now to make Disney-branded films in China,” he said, speaking at Disney’s 963 acre resort in Shanghai, which opens in two weeks. “We are very far along on this process, including developing ideas, concepts for films and identifying talent to make those films.”
To borrow a colloquialism of our age, “it’s all good” as far as Disney is concerned when it comes to China.
Disney’s different standard in the U.S.
However, Mr. Iger sings a different tune when it comes to Disney’s relationship with the state of Georgia here in the U.S.
If you recall, on May 7th the Georgia Governor signed into law a bill which bans human abortion at the point when doctors detect a human heartbeat.
The Walt Disney Company loves making films in Georgia. Recent blockbusters filmed in the Peach State include “Black Panther” and “Avengers: Endgame.”
But Iger indicated it would be difficult for Disney to continue working in Georgia because of this new Heartbeat law:
“I think many people who work for us will not want to work there, and we will have to heed their wishes in that regard. Right now we are watching it very carefully.”
He said if the law is implemented: “I don’t see how it’s practical for us to continue to shoot there.”
He has no such compunction about China. And yet just last Friday, the Wall Street Journal detailed China’s war on Christians. The government has begun shutting down underground mega churches with a goal towards making religions “instruments of the Party.”
If religion doesn’t cooperate, they face the wrath of the Red Dragon. It’s even worse for Muslims. The Pentagon said some 3 million Uighur Muslims have been detained in Xinjiang province.
That’s like imprisoning the entire state of Iowa. Disney has no problem doing business with such a nation at the same time they threaten to withdraw from a state that demonstrates tremendous respect for human rights beginning at the first heartbeat.
Ironically, Walt Disney himself never made a movie in a place that tolerated abortion. His heirs tarnish the Disney pro-family legacy.