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Are Mickey And Minnie Mouse The New ‘Masters And Johnson’?

Are Mickey And Minnie Mouse The New ‘Masters And Johnson’?

(For those who came of age after the turn of the century, Masters and Johnson were famous for leading research “into the nature of human sexual response and the diagnosis and treatment of sexual disorders and dysfunctions.”  Now to the subject at hand.)

We should all be able to understand and agree that the primary role of businesses in America is to produce goods and services for the consumer at a profit for the owners.  In the case of major corporations, the business has a legal fiduciary obligation to produce a fair return for the stockholders – the off-campus owners.  Businesses also contribute to charities and lobby on legislation impacting directly on their ability to make that profit.  Businesses and business people make political contributions to candidates they believe represent the best interests of the businesses.

Big corporations do get into unnecessary and damaging controversies when they engage in political advocacy that is NOT in line with their primary purpose.  It usually happens because the top decision-maker in the business has personal political biases – and can use, or misuse them , based his or her authority to run the operation.

That is what happened to Disney.  The issue of the school curriculum is not an existential subject for Disney even if the business is built on children.  A wise CEO would have refrained from getting involved.  In fact, that is exactly what Disney CEO Bob Chapek originally did.  For whatever reasons, he changed his mind and decided to put the Disney brand 100 percent against those opposed to sex education for the youngest students.

That not only put Disney at war with a lot of parents – a majority according to some polls – but against the policies of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and the Republican majority in the Florida legislature. 

But the issue went far beyond the Florida borders.  Chapek’s decision angered a very large portion of the American population.  It placed Disney needlessly at the center of the controversy. 

It triggered national calls for a boycott of Disney parks, products, and movies. That most certainly will not be a mortal blow to the Disney empire, but it will hurt – and the hurt will be felt in the bottom line.  That is where it will impact the stockholders who have every right to expect the Disney leadership to protect stock prices and dividends – and Disney stock value has dropped since Chapek did his flip-flop.

Since Disney’s decision to jump into the fray of this controversial issue, one might believe that the Company would have an impact on the issue.  Not only is that not likely to be the case, but the only impact may be on Disney.  Apart from the limited impact of a boycott, DeSantis and the legislature have responded to Disney by ending Disney’s privilege of operating Disney World as its own community – its own city.

Now I have to admit that the idea of using government to push back against businesses based on their positions on issues is troublesome to a conservative like me.  It is only somewhat ameliorated by the fact that it is not punishing Disney as much as it is removing a special privilege they enjoy.  Since the new law will not take place for more than a year, I suspect it will never be invoked.

One of the most important responsibilities of corporate leaders is to protect and enhance the brand.  What Chapek did was just the opposite.  He damaged the brand at the expense of the stockholders.  

I couldn’t help but think back to my early years and seeing one of the iconic pornographic “8-pagers,” as they were called, that featured cartoons of Disney characters doing those things you only find in books sold in “adult” stores (at least so they tell me).  In the minds of some, those 8-pagers could now be considered educational material for the pre-pubescent.  (🡨 Of course, I am kidding.  I qualify that before the anal-retentive left-wingers suffer another hair singeing.)

The unfortunate thing about Disney’s involvement is that it –pushing sex education onto the youngest children – has imposed adult content into the lives most parents see as the innocent years.  It is not about homosexuality or self-identification.  It is just that those subjects are best left to more mature students and their parents – just as we have traditionally done with heterosexual issues.

This is not a “don’t say gay” law – as the left has branded it – but a “protect childhood innocence” law.

So, there ‘tis.

About The Author

Larry Horist

So, there ‘tis… The opinions, perspectives and analyses of businessman, conservative writer and political strategist Larry Horist. Larry has an extensive background in economics and public policy. For more than 40 years, he ran his own Chicago based consulting firm. His clients included such conservative icons as Steve Forbes and Milton Friedman. He has served as a consultant to the Nixon White House and travelled the country as a spokesman for President Reagan’s economic reforms. Larry professional emphasis has been on civil rights and education. He was consultant to both the Chicago and the Detroit boards of education, the Educational Choice Foundation, the Chicago Teachers Academy and the Chicago Academy for the Performing Arts. Larry has testified as an expert witness before numerous legislative bodies, including the U. S. Congress, and has lectured at colleges and universities, including Harvard, Northwestern and DePaul. He served as Executive Director of the City Club of Chicago, where he led a successful two-year campaign to save the historic Chicago Theatre from the wrecking ball. Larry has been a guest on hundreds of public affairs talk shows, and hosted his own program, “Chicago In Sight,” on WIND radio. An award-winning debater, his insightful and sometimes controversial commentaries have appeared on the editorial pages of newspapers across the nation. He is praised by audiences for his style, substance and sense of humor. Larry retired from his consulting business to devote his time to writing. His books include a humorous look at collecting, “The Acrapulators’ Guide”, and a more serious history of the Democratic Party’s role in de facto institutional racism, “Who Put Blacks in That PLACE? -- The Long Sad History of the Democratic Party’s Oppression of Black Americans ... to This Day”. Larry currently lives in Boca Raton, Florida.

36 Comments

  1. Frank stetson

    My wife and I love Disney. I’ve been going there for my work life since starting in my career. Later, I took my wife and kids on one of the most best 21 days anyone has ever had; we had a townhouse with a town car where Disney Springs is today. Totally amazing. I was honored with a special back door pass to the AT&T globe, some really good restaurant reservations for optimum fireworks viewing, and a number of other perks through all of my time working there. My kids actually became engineers driving the monorail, wink wink nudge nudge , they have a plaque…

    I also love Disney movies and joined Disney streaming immediately. As my wife and I watched, I just started cracking up as girls went out with girls, boys with boys, and the thing became very woke. But Disney woke. I knew that it was a brave New World.

    Disney has been expressing social beliefs for some time now, that is not new. On this one though, the CEO noted himself that he was slow to act until his own employees requested it. I think it’s OK to oppose this bill although myself I am no expert to know when innocence should be broken on any given subject. In terms of gender identity though, I just don’t see it being that big a deal, not to mention the kids are gonna be inundated with it anyway so they might as well get the straight skinny instead of the street skinny in a manner that parents can review and approve. That’s. education.

    The reaction by DeSantis was purely a national political play since it really does not advantage the citizens of Florida economically, it hurts. Especially the ones that are gonna get hit with the property tax increases, numerically the largest Florida has ever seen unless they find someway to slide the pickle around to some other fund. The best part will be anyone whose property tax slides over 10 K a year since the Republicans have already capped the tax deduction at 10 K. Hate to say it, but that will make New Jersey smile. As Larry says, I find it hard to believe that this law will ever take place next year, it is economically foolhardy to do so. I believe the tax burden is over 130 million a year. 130 million will also go right into Disney‘s pocket as profit.

    To me, the real question here is not what Disney said, not how DeSantis reacted, but the law itself. And there we need some real experts to comment at what age should this be part of the educational program. But DeSantis has chosen to use this to amplify his warlike unwoke posture for his national run at the cost of the citizens he currently serves. He needs a bogeyman. It appears the idiot did not even run the numbers before he signed the bill. That’s the other thing Floridians should really look at.

    Myself, the downside is the Disney stock I bought the spring he’s not doing well. Some of that market, some of that is streaming, but I have no doubt that some of that is this. The upside is that if people really do boycott Disney, I need to get my reservations are now. Fast pass is one thing, but less people is priceless. Thank you morality defender Ron. Still won’t get my vote though… 🙂

    • Bruce

      Frank becoming woke is the same as turning queer. So like an idiot, you took your kids to Disney to get groomed

      • Ben

        Live in fear Bruce. It’s a lifestyle.

        Find boogiemen to nake your miserable self feel better. It’s the best you can accomplish

        Becoming woke is the same as tuning queer; what are ridiculous piece of logic.. “Oh no, I just saw Mickey Mouse and I turn queer…“ Yes, Bruce has the entire process down pat. Cause-and-effect. You’re just walking down the street, suddenly a gay person appears, next thing you know you turn gay. It’s like catching Covid…

        Bruce, you’re an idiot.

      • Micala

        Accepting as you are of the blatantly hurtful Wokeness of a very small percentage of our culture, you obviously do NOT know much about Transgenderism!! For example, did you know that TRANSGENDERS HAVE THE HIGHEST SUICIDE RATE IN THE U.S.? Yes! Absolutely true! Let me educate you on this very damaging part of wokisms!

        First of all, transgenders are NOT killing themselves because normal people don’t understand them; but because after some ignorant person/s in their life made statements that made that youth question their biological sex — those statements come from ignorant and uneducated people who base their statements on an action which is 100% NORMAL for either young sex — yes, young children NATURALLY want to change gender places to see why the other sex, for example, plays with dolls or wears makeup and fingernail polish. Or in the case of a girl looking at a boy’s world, why he likes trucks, skateboards, or sports! Anyone with College Early Education classes can tell you “THOSE ARE NATURAL BEHAVIORS AND ARE TEMPORARY”!

        But the ignorance of many parents and/or Peers can change an innocent young person’s life forever by their stupid and uneducated comments. The statistics of young transgenders committing SUICIDE is off the charts because:

        1). Once that youth has the transformative surgeries/hormonal treatments, THEY ARE STERILE AND CANNOT PRODUCE LIFE!

        2) By five years later after changing their sex, MOST TRANSGENDERS REALIZE THAT CHANGING THEIR SEX DID NOT ADDRESS/FIX THEIR EMOTIONAL ISSUES! Unfortunately by that time, their old friends have moved on and the links to the parents (which could have caused this fiasco) are shattered, so the confused and highly depressed trannie person chooses to end their lives instead of living as an “IT” with no support from those they thought loved them!!
        3). Once getting those surgeries/hormone treatments, the transgender’s body can no longer reproduce and produce young! If they want to go back to their biological sex, they usually can’t and even if they could semi go back, their reproductive systems have been altered and are no longer functional! They are an “IT”.

        FYI: The Wokeness attitude is 100% DESTRUCTIVE TO OUR CHILDREN’S NATURAL AND NORMAL GROWTH PATTERNS! Transgenderism Is the worst thing to ever maim and destroy our children’s lives!! Anyone supporting that sick twisted form of CHILD ABUSE NEEDS PSYCHOTHERAPY BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH A YOUNG CHILD’S CURIOSITY; HOWEVER THERE IS A MILLION REASONS WHY AN UNEDUCATED ADULT THINKING THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH A CHILD’S NATURAL CURIOSITY SHOULD “SHUT UP AND WALK AWAY”!! THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT!

        The biggest reason for this Wokeness attitudes is:
        1). Our General Public (young parents) are not educated enough and fall for the subcultural’s twisted ideas, thus forcing those ideas on their innocent children!
        2). The reason our young parents are not highly educated (even though graduating from H.S.) is liberal teachers were teaching liberal ideas to our young children and the parents did not know. This is where the “WOKE STEW” generated.

        Being a H.S. Teacher myself, I witnessed teachers passing students on to the next grade that couldn’t do math nor spell nor complete a sentence. When I asked the teachers “why” they were doing that, they said it was more important to teach the students that CAN learn and get rid of those that can’t! So there are a lot of Parents who barely graduated that still can’t do math nor understand concepts — and they are raising children who are now being brainwashed by this HIGHLY DAMAGING AND TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE WOKENESS!

        OUR YOUNG HEALTHY INNOCENT CHILDREN DESERVE A NORMAL, STRESS FREE CHILDHOOD — AND DISNEY’s Chepak will eventually DESTROY “WALT’S” dream of what Disney represents! I am more than positive that one day soon, Chepak will be found screaming wildly running through his home in his underwear about a Spirit that won’t stop haunting him — OR perhaps it is his own subconscious that now torments him nightly?? No, it’s my guess it is WALT DISNEY FINALLY GETTING HIS REVENGE!!

        • Micala

          Disney Enterprises is going to DIE a slow painful death as stockholders start to sell off their stocks and go elsewhere! All that will be left is skeletons of “ABUSEMENT” Parks and discarded Disney toys!

          NO PARENT WANTS TO HURT THEIR CHILD ON PURPOSE, but watching Disney ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLE MOVIES AT 5 years old WILL NOT ONLY DESTROY OUR CHILDREN BUT DESTROY OUR CULTURE BY MANIPULATING A SMALL INNOCENT CHILD’S MIND INTO THINKING THEY ARE NOT WHO THEY REALLY ARE!

          NO CHILD DESERVES A CHILDHOOD OF UNCERTAINTY!! NOT YOUR CHILD, NOT YOUR GRANDCHILD, NO CHILD! Wokeness is a death sentence to all normal children! It must END NOW!

    • Mary Geiger

      None of the stuff this fella is saying is right or good or nothing to worry about. It’s why our society has become sicker and sicker. No morals, no nothing. Just do what you want because they say you’re free. Schools haven’t taught what free really means, parents haven’t either tho’ even if they did kids don’t really pay attention to them. But this what the heck attitude is a go ahead, jump off the cliff, the rocks will break your fall. None of this garbage belongs in school. School is not supposed to make your kids acceptable to society, it is to teach your kids to be able to take care of themselves so they won’t need society to have to hold their hand the rest of their lives.

    • Larry kuhn

      Frank just how woke are you? Are you sure it isn’t mentally impairment or demon possession?

      • Ben

        Oh, I’m pretty not woke. Worse than that, I’ve traveled the world insulting people in many countries with my brash American cowboy manner.

        But I have learned to be empathetic to peoples feelings, and to apologize profusely whenever I insult someone by unwoke accident. I am what I am, but I’m willing to listen and learn.

        It may not seem like that around here, but a lot of people are assholes and don’t have any sense of decorum whatsoever. At that point I figure when in Rome… And besides, Joe needs the money and division, hate, A good spit fight always pays more. So we hide our lack of decorum here and the guise are free speech.

        Are you entertained?

  2. Good Luck

    We do not need Disney or Bob Chapek nor do we need johnson&Johnson. We do not need you to teach our children about Sex and LGBT . We do not tell you how to run Disney and we do not tell you how to run Johnson&Johnson . Stay in your lane . Do not try to force your sexual thoughts on our Children. Disney you can just close your doors .

  3. Ben

    Guess you can’t get up the scratch to take your kids to Disney so you need a really good excuse.

    Would love to be a fly on the wall and see you answer your kids question on that one. “Why can’t we go to Disney daddy…”

    • MiChael

      No problem. I would explain that it’s my duty to keep them away from perverts. Namely faggots. Now if you ride the Disney busses to the parks you might be sitting with a queer with aides

    • Harold Blankenship

      What sane people would take their kids around queers? Ben is an example. He doesn’t care if his kids become perverts. Yes, being around queers causes kids to think that shit is normal. Pathetic!!!

      • Ted

        Why should anyone have to explain to small kids in why two men or two women are kissing in public? I would explain that people like that are sick and deplorable.

      • Ben

        What ever are you talking about? It just doesn’t even make sense.

        Do you think being gay is an abnormal perversion? And if kids think gays are not perverted, there’s something wrong with that?

        I honestly don’t care if I take my kids around people who are straight, gay, black, white, Catholic, Muslim, Marines, Police, whatever, as long as they are good people. Are you saying all gays are not good people?

        The term woke wouldn’t even exist if it wasn’t for people like you.

        But you guys are the opposite extreme of woke, a bunch of unwoke troglodytes. I can’t imagine a world where I didn’t have some gay friends; what are boring place.

        Does that mean I’m gay? Of course not. Does that mean I want my kids to be perverts? Of course not.

        You are just a stupid person to think that.

        • BEn

          But hey, DeSantis passed the law. Florida citizens will pay the price. In the long run, Disney is a good company and will come through this just fine. I am buying more stock, not less, and certainly not selling. And I still like Disney+ as one of my favorite streaming stations. Can’t wait to the mighty ducks be on the next season. And John Stamos, he rules, although you can’t watch, there may be lesbians…

        • Ted

          Most queers might be good people but they sure aren’t normal. God made Adam and Eve. Not Adam and Steve

  4. Frank stetson

    It’s funny that DeSantis is basically punishing Disney for exercising free speech.

    Well, that’s Trumpublicans for you

    • Ted

      Free speech? Ok. Suppose that I’m line predictors trolling for kids are using free speech? And another question. If free speech is real, why does people get canceled for having an opinion? Or kicked out of school board meetings for voicing opinions that are not harmful to anyone? And why do people allow the bastards to cancel them? The cancel culture cult is lucky. They haven’t screwed with the right people yet.

      • Ted

        Meant to say predictors. Damned spell checker

        • Ted

          Still screwed up. Oh well. Y’all know what I mean

  5. Frank stetson

    Oh sorry, so DeSantis didn’t punish them for saying something. My bad.

    I guess you’re right. Anyone who disagrees with this law is trolling for kids.

    And based on what you said, I conclude you must be to because you’re fixated on it.

    • Ted

      This isn’t bull Clinton Or creepy Biden

  6. Frank stetson

    No, it’s grab em by the pussy’s evil protégé.

    And trolling ted. :-). Cuz he talks about it.

    Let’s move on, can’t fix stupid v

    • Theodore Sueck

      No, it’s YOU!

      • Ben

        Does Theodore Sueck?
        Like golf balls through a garden hose.

        He’s a Teddy too and you know what that means.

        Are we entertained?

        Way to stay on point! When you can’t formulate a cogent thought, attack the person. You do it so well. Oh the horror of it all.

    • Ben

      So what? No charges or complaints were filed. If you were a rich celebrity you could probably grab some poon tang too. Or would you prefer dicks? You can always visit Disney.

      • Ben

        Ah, the old if you don’t get caught it must be OK logic. That’s some faulty logic you got going there.

        • Floyd

          No crime was committed, dumbass

          • Ben

            Oh, the old if it’s legal then it’s OK logic. I’m pretty sure I can give you a lot of examples of things that are legal that you don’t think are OK.

            So it’s all good for you; anything that’s legal huh.

            But Disney having a voice, Disney’s free speech, which is not only legal but number 1 ahead of the 2nd, deserves DeSantis sticking it to them for having an opinion and exercising free speech.

            That’s Trumpublicans for you. If you say something they don’t like, it’s OK to cancel them any way you can.

            Funny thing is that the people live in there are the ones who get really hurt, the ones that DeSantis pretends he serves.

            And you support trump saying “grab them by the pussy,“ because it’s legal. I would think as a decent man he would find this somewhat indecent, not right, and if you were DeSantis, he would want to hurt him. Just like DeSantis hurt Disney. Just for having an opinion and using free-speech.

            That’s just being a dick.

        • larry Horist

          Ya gotta admit … sex really gets folks animated (no pun intended). Here my response to all of the above. I have never hated anyone in my life. I believe that the vast majority of people are basically good — not perfect — but good. I do not hate Jews or Muslims. I do not hate whites or blacks. I do not hate gays or straight folks. My life , my family and my business have been filled with people of every background, gender, sexual preference, political philosophy, etc. etc. I have enjoyed their friendship. I l love folks of different ethnicities — to learn their culture, styles, language and food. Did I mention food? Hating takes too much energy … too much ugly feeling … too much negativism. Perhaps it is the libertarian in me, but I do not have a problem with most gay lifestyles. Gay pedophiles are as rare as heterosexual pedophiles. They need to be punished, of course. In the past I had written that when it come to sex, there is not such thing a “normal.” Those who enjoy a wide range of sexual pleasures think the other half is suppressed. Those who are more modest in their sexuality think the others a perverts. Hence, no one is normal — and maybe no such thing as normal. I can dislike people … or disrespect what they do, but never hate. And I NEVER even dislike or disrespect types of people. Keeps me happy and makes my life more interesting.

          • Ted

            That’s all well and good Larry. But I have a problem with trying to groom our kids Like you, I don’t hate anyone either. But they need to stick with their own kind

          • Ben

            “But “they” need to stick with her own kind.”
            OMG Larry, you just gonna let that one I was directly addressed to you slip on by. Wow.

            No, Ted, they do not need to stick with their own “kind.“ This is America. They are free to say what they want, go where they want, and associate with anyone they want to. In America, we do not discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender. You cannot bar them, ostracized them, segregate them , or discriminate, so you better learn to live with them. If not, it’s you that needs to hide from the world.

          • larry Horist

            Ted. It is easy to be against grooming and pedophilia, just as it is easy to be against rape and bank robbery. But most gay folks are not into that. I have gay friends ,,, had gay employees. My kids have gay friends. Just as we have black, Hispanic, Asian, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and athiest friends. We also have family and friends that are left-oriented Democrats. For the most part, I take folks as they are. I do have exceptions. I do not hang around with Mafia types, gangbangers, haters, etc. But that is on an individual basis. I disrespect what people may do, but not based on what demographic they may fit into.

  7. Frank stetson

    Horse groomers everywhere hate Republicans now. A once honorable profession has been reduced to being the scourge of the world. “What do you do for a living.“ “I’m a groomer.“ And then the shit hit the fan…

  8. Ben

    bridegroom or groom: think about it ladies……

  9. Frank stetson

    She said: “I like a man who as well groomed.”

    I wonder what that means?

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