NOV 01 - 15, 2004

VOL. 2 ISSUE 21

NOVEMBER 12, 2004 – They are the lynchpin of the lying right's climb to power.  They exist solely for the sake of spreading misinformation, flat-out lies, and misrepresenting the opposition.  They exist in loosely cloaked violation of our election laws, acting as PAC's and 527's but, as they pretend they are something else, taking money by the horde directly from corporate sponsors.

Since the early 1990's, when Limbaugh led the charge against decency, honesty, and useful discourse in America, the nation has become more and more polarized.  The Limbaugh clones have multiplied to the point that they now form the sort of massive propaganda machine only found in dictatorships like the former Soviet Union or Saddam's Iraq.

There are two things all Americans can agree on, regardless of whether you are left, right, or middle on the issues:  our voting process must be unquestionably secure, and there is no place for a one-side promoting, lie-and-smear propaganda machine in America.

So to begin to fix the problem, we at The Moderate Independent, along with our loyal readers, are going to launch an all out frontal assault on a massive but massively vulnerable target:  Disney.

Remember Disney?  They were the ones who refused to allow Miramax, a subsidiary of theirs, to distribute Michael Moore's film, claiming it was too partisan for them to get involved in - while in reality they were, and are, operating right-wing lie-and-hate propaganda radio from coast to coast.  (See:  While Disney Claims It Is Refusing To Distribute The Moore Film Because It Is Too Partisan, Disney Continues To Operate hard Core Right-Wing Radio Stations From Coast To Coast)

This company that hired Rush Limbaugh as a commentator for its ESPN network - and, of course, had to fire him not long thereafter for showing his true hatefully racist nature (see:  Talk Radio Host Rush Limbaugh Joins His Buddy Michael Savage Weiner In Getting Canned For Being Unacceptable Outside Of His Usual AM Radio Cave) - depends on its public image as the non-partisan, sweet, innocent bastion of family fun, integrity, and kindness.  They are the ones who give us "the happiest place on Earth."

But all the while, they are taking the money you and your family give them, the money you spend on their movies and paraphernalia, the money you spend at their theme parks, and indeed, the money you help them make by watching their Touchstone movies, Pixar movies, Miramax movies, ABC TV Network, or ESPN.  There you are innocently watching a baseball game on ESPN or a sitcom on ABC and little do you realize the money you are helping Disney, the owner of all of these entities, rake in is going to be used to fund the operation of hate-talk, right-wing radio stations all over the country.  From WABC in New York to KABC in Los Angeles, Disney is using your money to spread lies and personal attacks, to push one side's agenda while degrading, misrepresenting, and heinously attacking anyone who does not march lockstep with President Bush.  Yes, sweet little Disney is using its innocent image and the money they make off of it to fuel the hate-spewing propaganda machine of the Bush/Limbaugh right.

We think it is time someone pulled the sheet on Disney, and we are just the outfit to do it.

We are going to compile a petition list, calling on Disney to stop funding entirely partisan, one-side promoting, Democrat bashing, lie-and-smear propaganda radio stations.  We are going to not only take this straight to Disney, but through the media as well.  If Disney wants to be a partisan, hate-spewing propaganda outlet, then it should own up to it.

But if they think they can continue to pretend to be sweet and innocent and trustworthy while launching 24-hour a day personal attacks on half of America, they better think again.

Here is how you can be a part of this.  E-mail your name, address, phone (optional), and any comment you wish to include to comments@moderateindependent.com.  Put in the subject line "DISNEY PETITION."  And then contact anyone you know who would want to be a part of this and have them send along their information as well.  The more names we get, the stronger our hand will be.

The right-wing domination of the media is the biggest issue facing our nation at the moment.  It has made lying not just accepted, but embraced by those at the highest level of our government.  The distortions and dishonest personal smears have sought to destroy the most vital element of democracy, free and fair discourse.  We can no longer sit around while, 24 hours a day everyday, one side gets to beat up on the other, gets to lie without chance for refutation, and gets to speak misrepresentatively for you, hanging up on you or shouting over you if you try to join in the conversation.

These actions are ugly, they are un-American, they are highly partisan, they are amoral, and they are being perpetrated by Disney.  And America is going to hear about it.