DeSantis Seals Disney's Fate: 'I Don't Think Walt Would Appreciate What's Going On in This Company'
It’s finally official. On April 22, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill effectively terminating the Walt Disney Company’s special tax district, within which sits the famous Orlando theme park.
The district allowed Disney to operate “as a largely autonomous entity” according to the New York Post. Now, those privileges are completely gone.
The legislation will go into effect in June of 2023.
“That partnership that developed early on with Walt Disney — I don’t think Walt would appreciate what’s going on with this company right now,” DeSantis said during the bill signing.
Disney has made it increasingly clear over the past several years that they don’t care if they completely alienate conservative consumers.
If you disagree with transgenderism and you don’t believe kids should be allowed to undergo permanent, life-altering gender transitioning, Disney thinks you’re a bigot.
The company made this clear on March 28, the day DeSantis signed into law the “Parental Rights in Education” bill.
Specifically, the Florida bill bans lessons on sexual orientation or gender identity for students in kindergarten through third grade.
Statement from The Walt Disney Company on signing of Florida legislation: pic.twitter.com/UVI7Ko3aKS
— Walt Disney Company (@WaltDisneyCo) March 28, 2022
Disney claimed the bill “should never have passed and should never have been signed into law” and suggested that it was discriminatory. They vowed to fight for the bill to be repealed or struck down in court.
DeSantis responded to Disney’s statement at the time, noting the company had “crossed the line.”
“We’re going to make sure we’re fighting back when people are threatening our parents and threatening our kids,” he said, according to Politico.
“For Disney to come out and put a statement and say that the bill should have never passed and they are going to actively work to repeal it — I think, one, was fundamentally dishonest. But two, I think that crossed the line.”
“This state is governed by the interests of the people of the state of Florida. It is not based on the demands of California corporate executives. They do not run this state. They do not control this state.”
Disney is certainly allowed to have its opinion.
But when you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes.
If Disney wants to tick off half the country, it isn’t going to keep getting special privileges from the government.
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