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Disney/ABC radio
personality Paul Harvey, one of the most widely listened
to commentators in the United States, presented his
listeners on June 23 with an endorsement of genocide and
racism that would have been right at home on a white
supremacist shortwave broadcast.
Harvey's commentary began
by lamenting the decline of American wartime aggression.
"We're standing there dying, daring to do nothing
decisive because we've declared ourselves to be better
than our terrorist enemies--more moral, more civilized,"
he said. Drawing a contrast with what he cast as the
praiseworthy nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
in World War II, Harvey lamented that "we sent men with
rifles into Afghanistan and Iraq and kept our best
weapons in their silos"--suggesting that America should
have used its nuclear arsenal in its invasions of both
countries.
Harvey concluded: "We didn't come this far because we're
made of sugar candy. Once upon a time, we elbowed our
way onto and across this continent by giving smallpox-
infected blankets to Native Americans. That was
biological warfare. And we used every other weapon we
could get our hands on to grab this land from whomever.
"And we grew prosperous. And yes, we greased the skids
with the sweat of slaves. So it goes with most great
nation-states, which--feeling guilty about their savage
pasts--eventually civilize themselves out of business
and wind up invaded and ultimately dominated by the
lean, hungry up-and-coming who are not made of sugar
candy."
Harvey's evident approval
of slavery, genocide and nuclear and biological warfare
would seem to put him at odds with Disney's
family-friendly image. The media conglomerate syndicates
Harvey to more than 1,000 radio stations, where he
reaches an estimated 18 million listeners. Disney
recently signed a 10-year, $100 million contract with
the 86-year-old Harvey.
In 2004, Disney forbid
its Miramax subsidiary to distribute Michael Moore's
film Fahrenheit 9/11, even though Miramax was the
principal investor in the film. A Disney executive told
the New York Times (5/5/04) that it was declining to
distribute the film because, in the paper's words,
"Disney caters to families of all political stripes and
believes Mr. Moore's film...could alienate many."
One wonders whether
Disney executives are worried about alienating families
who oppose slavery, nuclear war and Native American
genocide.
ACTION:
Ask Disney why it finds Paul Harvey's nostalgia for
slavery and genocide and his calls for nuclear war
acceptable, but deemed Michael Moore's film
unacceptable.
CONTACT:
ABC Radio Networks:
abcradio@abc.com
John.E.McConnell@abc.com
Phone: 212-456-5387
Paul
Harvey:
Irma.N.Aviles@abc.com
Phone: (312) 889-4085
Disney
Corporation:
Phone:
818-560-1000
As always,
please remember that your comments have more impact if
you maintain a polite tone.
Read a transcript of
Harvey's comments (courtesy of the Chicago Tribune's
Eric Zorn):
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ericzorn/
weblog/archives/2005/06/paul_harvey_ah.html
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