Is
Walt Disney racist? I read a comment recently when a younger person than I
posted on Facebook: “Walt Disney was a racist and did not like Jews.” This is
the first I had ever heard about this. Let’s examine the facts that I could
find.
The
most important question that needed to be answered is: Are we discussing the
person or the corporation?
Walt
Disney (1901-1966) the person:
He
was a cartoonist for his school news paper and attending Chicago Art Institute.
He dropped out of school to join the Army but was too young at 16. Since the
Army would not accept him, he joined the Red Cross and drove an ambulance in
France for a year during World War I.
In
1923, he and his brother Roy founded Walt Disney Productions. In 1925, he married Lillian Bond. In 1929,
Disney Productions started doing animated cartoons. Disneyland was opened in
1955. A few years later, the corporation was discussing a prototype park in
Florida.
Information
surrounding Walt Disney:
In
1941, there was a strike of artist talents and they either went to other
studios or left animation altogether. After World War II, Walt Disney was
called to testify before the House Committee on Un-American Activities to name
the strike leaders as communist. He also had to answer why he went to South
America for business during wartime.
The
corporation itself developed relationships with many major corporations for the
rides and exhibits at Disneyland. He sought out government scientist also to
assist in science education programs as well.
However,
Walt Disney—the man—after 1945 was nothing more than a corporate spokesperson
because Roy O. Walters became the head of the corporation itself.
Recent
discoveries:
Roy O. Disney’s grand-daughter
admitted during the filming of “Saving Mr. Banks” that her great-uncle was a racist
in agreements with Meryl Streep’s criticism about him as a person. She said it
in a loving manner. Another article that I read, Abigail Disney stated: that he
had a deep dislike for women –being called a misogynist
as well as anti-Semitic. To support these statements were actual personal
letter documentation dating as far back as 1938: “He did not trust women or
cats.”
Neal Gabler, author
of “Walt Disney: Triumph of the American Imagination”, in 2009, disputes by
stating: “Like most white Americans of his generation he was racially
insensitive” Gabler further contents that Disney, personally, he was not
anti-Semitic because he employed many Jewish people actors, directors, and
supporting roles to work with him.” To continue:
“Disney did not trust women. However, Disney was a product of his time…women
were confined to inking and painting in animation during the 1930s at all major
studios.”
The most interesting
thing that people remember about all of this, which is still debatable, was
that Walt Disney was a racist and anti-Semitic. What is in agreement by all parties
is that he disliked women but only in the work place but in most cases, that
seemed to be overlooked more than anything else.
The Disney
Corporation is a conglomerate of ventures, business, and one of the world’s
largest communication organizations today. Their employment vision statement adheres
to the American Labor Standards which they will not discriminate on the basis
of race, sex, sexual orientation, disability or religious affiliation.
Based on the information,
well, what can I say? His was a business man like many of his times, insusceptible
to the different factions of the times.
Even though, my cultural background is more races than to shake a “stick
at,” he was no different than anyone else to a certain extent. Yet, in our society, today, we still have the
tendency to rate a person on sight or sex without any rational or reasonable involvement
into the nature of the individual.
He was a visionary and
brought entertainment into the hearts of so many regardless of their sexual or cultural
backgrounds. It is time to let his life rest, for he is long gone from this
earth, and the past cannot be changed.
On a different note,
there are many of use that is in need of prayer due to health reason or other
reasons not stated—please keep them in prayer.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:18.
God bless you all and
keep you safely in His arms.
Feinberg,
Scott. “Walt Disney’s Grandniece Agrees With Meryl Streep: He was racist.” The Hollywood Reporter. 15th
January 2014. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/walt-disneys-grandniece-agrees-meryl-670039
Greig,
Alex. “Walt Disney was a racist and a misogynist just as Meryl Streep claims,
admits his grandniece.” Daily Mail Co UK. 17th January 2014.
(accessed 4th January 2014.) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2541292/Walt-Disney-grandniece-Meryl-Streep-right-Disney-racist-misogynistic.html
Langer,
Mark. "Disney, Walt" American National Biography Online Feb. 2000. (Access Date: Tue Jun 03 2014) http://www.anb.org/articles/18/18-00309.html
Walter
Elias Disney. (2014). The Biography.com
website. Retrieved 09:06, Jun 03, 2014, http://www.biography.com/people/walt-disney-9275533.
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