Daily Fix Re: Hall of Presidents - No Politics Please

[Hannahinwonderland]

I've come to the conclusion that they shouldn't have the current president talk. It's too late now, because the precedent has been set and if suddenly Trump doesn't talk, there will be an outcry that Disney is biased. However, I wish they had never started the practice.

Not because our current president is someone who I abhor, but because our previous president was someone who others abhorred, and our next president may very well be offensive to a different group. The only way to keep everyone happy is to reserve the statements for non-controversial presidents.

Let's just have some long-dead presidents say some famous words, and move on. Let's be frank- no matter WHAT they have Trump say, it will be divisive in some way. He is just so deeply polarizing. Obama was the same- some just HATE him.

Listening to the current president takes you COMPLETELY out of your vacation, especially if you feel strongly about politics. It's better for Disney to not take a stand.

Just re-posting my full statement here so people can at least read what I meant to say

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Ok, first of all, I'd like to point out my own statement that you responded to earlier:



So yeah, I'm saying that Trump has to speak now. I'm not choosing anyone over anyone else. I'm saying that in my OWN VIEW, it would be better if we simply had silent audio-animatronics. However, we don't, so now Disney has to include Trump. They've already set a precedent, I just wish they didn't. You don't have to agree with my opinion that presidents shouldn't speak, many people believe that it's an important part of history to let them speak, that's valid. But censorship is just the wrong word to use.

You actually didn't say simply had silent audio-animatronics. You said:

"The only way to keep everyone happy is to reserve the statements for non-controversial presidents. Let's just have some long-dead presidents say some famous words, and move on. Let's be frank- no matter WHAT they have Trump say, it will be divisive in some way. He is just so deeply polarizing. Obama was the same- some just HATE him.

Listening to the current president takes you COMPLETELY out of your vacation, especially if you feel strongly about politics. It's better for Disney to not take a stand."

I and other people were pointing out that who gets to decide who is controversial or not. Some would say slavery is controversial (probably many of us really), at the time the affair Clinton had was controversial and if you think about it Disney could have put the ride off-line and changed up the whole spiel when the affair came out because that was a hotbed topic it rocked the nation for at least a time, other presidents too. Just because they are long-dead doesn't mean they aren't controversial. That's why I brought up the censorship.

I totally get why we all don't and didn't want them to start speaking in the first place I agree with you on that.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Just re-posting my full statement here so people can at least read what I meant to say

I apologize if I took your statement the wrong way - I do think I agree with your main sentiment that looking back they probably shouldn't have started the practice of having the current president say something but that it would (at a minimum) be tricky to stop now

i do think the specific statement "The only way to keep everyone happy is to reserve the statements for non-controversial presidents." implies that there are some presidents that are controversial and some that aren't and I think people were responding to that - but agree, probably time to move the conversation on within this thread

 

[Hannahinwonderland]

You actually didn't say simply had silent audio-animatronics. You said:

"The only way to keep everyone happy is to reserve the statements for non-controversial presidents. Let's just have some long-dead presidents say some famous words, and move on. Let's be frank- no matter WHAT they have Trump say, it will be divisive in some way. He is just so deeply polarizing. Obama was the same- some just HATE him.

Listening to the current president takes you COMPLETELY out of your vacation, especially if you feel strongly about politics. It's better for Disney to not take a stand."

I and other people were pointing out that who gets to decide who is controversial or not. Some would say slavery is controversial (probably many of us really), at the time the affair Clinton had was controversial and if you think about it Disney could have put the ride off-line and changed up the whole spiel when the affair came out because that was a hotbed topic it rocked the nation for at least a time, other presidents too. Just because they are long-dead doesn't mean they aren't controversial. That's why I brought up the censorship.

I totally get why we all don't and didn't want them to start speaking in the first place I agree with you on that.

Ok, so from reading this it's obvious that I wasn't clear. What I mean to say is that all recent presidents are controversial. Agreed that Clinton could certainly be considered controversial. Perhaps our metric should be that they need to be dead, I don't know. I think what I was getting at was that it's less likely, once you are a dead president, that people will care about you enough and be offended at your actions enough that they can't just sit there and watch quietly.

I was originally trying to say that no one should speak besides Lincoln, Washington, etc. I thought that Lincoln was pretty much universally recognized as a non-controversial president today in 2017, but you are right, I suppose he could offend someone. So under my own policy, no presidents should speak.

After typing that out, it sounds pretty dumb, and I have to concede that I was wrong in some aspects of this conversation.

I think the best solution for anyone who strongly hates our current or ANY of our next presidents, will be to avoid the HoP. Y'all are right- if you can't sit quietly and just watch without feeling bad about it, avoid the attraction. Everyone is making pretty decent arguments why all presidents should be allowed to make a statement.

 

[KingLlama]

Martin Van Buren was a straight-up moron for wearing those dumb sideburns alone and they better never let him speak or else I'm letting the eggs fly.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I can agree there is some truth to that - and one reason why I think the least offensive thing is to keep things as they have been ... even though if we are starting from a clean slate I bet a lot of people would vote (no pun intended) to not have him talk

The other thing about how times have changed is that as a society/country we are more divided. You always had people on the extremes but there was more overlap (and you would have liberal republicans and conservative democrats, etc.) - so when you too the average of each group they weren't that far apart

This is a chart I like (and it is from a few years ago so it has probably widened even more) but does show how we are more divided than we were in 1994 (so close to the 23 years ago you mentioned). Obviously just one example - but it does seem, even anecdotally, to fit what you see on social media where there is no middle ground to conversations

Yes you are right about that we are more divided now..at least in that sense. That's also why I struggle sometimes with the rational given for why the current president shouldn't be in there or have a speaking part.

I mean I do understand other people's opinions and I do respect them but I think (and this is me thinking in the context of Disney and me thinking out loud) that 23 years ago Disney thought maybe it was time to bring something different, maybe make the attraction more current at least in a sense of interactiveness by having the current president at the time have a speaking part. I don't think they made a speaking part to bring a political message (even if at times politics finds it's way into the parks) so at least to me it's still the same..the speaking of the current president isn't designed to reflect something of a political nature in a sense that Disney is taking sides (not at least it seems). I'm not so sure that people are able to separate that..which is why I brought up when it occured..I'm betting some people (not saying on the DIS) but for example some who signed the petition signed it without realizing the history (no pun intended there) behind presidents speaking.

Does anyone know if there was an offical statement as to why the current president would have a speaking part when it was first changed?

 

[OKW Lover]

Reviving an old tradition here on the DIS:
Do you prefer pie or cake?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Martin Van Buren was a straight-up moron for wearing those dumb sideburns alone and they better never let him speak or else I'm letting the eggs fly.

Seriously look at it:



*Not meant to offend anyone really*

 

[KingLlama]

#NotMySideburns

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Reviving an old tradition here on the DIS:
Do you prefer pie or cake?

It really depends on what kind of pie and what kind of cake...

MG

 

[Aerin75]

I am also reminded of something I learned in Boot Camp 30 years ago, that also stood me in good stead during almost 29 years of working for a PD, that I think I've mentioned here before, but will repeat now. I was taught (and still believe) "You may not respect or believe in the PERSON, but you MUST and WILL respect the RANK".

I keep repeating it and repeating it....

Yes that's part of what I brought up in the quote that I edited out. The way we get the news/information now it sooo different than back then I absolutely agree with that.

That's a bit of why I mentioned why now? And like you I'm not trying to go too far either with my next few statements but if deep down it's the premise of it and you would have created a petition (which those aren't new at all) back 23 years ago and would have done so with each new president and said you will not go to the attraction because of the current president at the time every single time (and I'm not even meaning people that go to WDW but everyone in general) that is completely one thing but I don't believe there are too many people out there that are that way. But I also think people well I'm not trying to offend any person here at all and it isn't aimed at any person at all but I think there is at least a good number of people who are in denial as to why they don't want the current president in the HoP much less speak.

I think you are absolutely correct about why now and how we get news differently. I also agree with many statements after that, if we have the current presidents speak, at any given time they will potentially be offending half of the country. Dammed if you do, dammed if you don't (misspelling intentional).

Seriously look at it:

View attachment 219076

*Not meant to offend anyone really*

#NotMySideburns

I'm generally pretty good about remembering my presidents. I always forget Fillmore, and half the time Van Buren!!

 

[Aerin75]

It really depends on what kind of pie and what kind of cake...

MG

Ditto! Derby/Chocolate Chip or Chocolate Cream? Heck yeah! But hard to beat Red Velvet cake....

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

#NotMySideburns

I'm not laughing because of the similarity to you know what I'm just laughing because for reals that it just too funny

I think you are absolutely correct about why now and how we get news differently. I also agree with many statements after that, if we have the current presidents speak, at any given time they will potentially be offending half of the country. Dammed if you do, dammed if you don't (misspelling intentional).

True true

I'm generally pretty good about remembering my presidents. I always forget Fillmore, and half the time Van Buren!!

Ummm I have to admit my memory is foggy on the lesser-known presidents. I had to look up Van Buren because I couldn't picture him at all and now well now that picture won't get out of my mind for sometime.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Ditto! Derby/Chocolate Chip or Chocolate Cream? Heck yeah! But hard to beat Red Velvet cake....

I like that marble cake where the marbling is like strawberries.

Pie??? Dutch apple or Blueberry please!!

MG

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Ok, so from reading this it's obvious that I wasn't clear. What I mean to say is that all recent presidents are controversial. Agreed that Clinton could certainly be considered controversial. Perhaps our metric should be that they need to be dead, I don't know. I think what I was getting at was that it's less likely, once you are a dead president, that people will care about you enough and be offended at your actions enough that they can't just sit there and watch quietly.

I was originally trying to say that no one should speak besides Lincoln, Washington, etc. I thought that Lincoln was pretty much universally recognized as a non-controversial president today in 2017, but you are right, I suppose he could offend someone. So under my own policy, no presidents should speak.

After typing that out, it sounds pretty dumb, and I have to concede that I was wrong in some aspects of this conversation.

I think the best solution for anyone who strongly hates our current or ANY of our next presidents, will be to avoid the HoP. Y'all are right- if you can't sit quietly and just watch without feeling bad about it, avoid the attraction. Everyone is making pretty decent arguments why all presidents should be allowed to make a statement.

Yeah I do agree that basically if you can't say anything nice just avoid it entirely.

I think you could say that the recent presidents have been controversial but that also just depends on your viewpoints. I went to Mount Vernon (plantation house for Washington) this past summer. I was pleasantly surprised that they didn't shy away from slavery topics. It was refreshing to say the least but as I mentioned before some (and probably many) would consider slavery controversial and has stood the test of time as far as people's passionate feelings towards it.

I don't think you meant anything by your statements by any means and yeah you have clarified that if you were to make the policy no presidents at all would speak.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Reviving an old tradition here on the DIS:
Do you prefer pie or cake?

hmmm now that depends on the given situation but it's hard for me to pass up German Chocolate Cake.

 

[OKW Lover]

Me? I love chocolate cake. Sadly I can't eat it any more.

 

[DisneyDad2015]

Question for the board veterans who have been around for a while, but was this even a hot issue 8 years ago when Obama was elected. I'm surprised at some of the posts I've seen about HOP since President Trump was elected, such as people mentioning they don't plan on going, etc.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Me? I love chocolate cake. Sadly I can't eat it any more.

Aww now that is a such a shame...is it ok to ask why you can't have it anymore?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Question for the board veterans who have been around for a while, but was this even a hot issue 8 years ago when Obama was elected. I'm surprised at some of the posts I've seen about HOP since President Trump was elected, such as people mentioning they don't plan on going, etc.

I haven't been around or at least super active that long but did see in one of the threads about this some people posting that they haven't been to HoP in the last 8 years but plan to go after it reopens - so at least some people felt the same