KELLY O’GRADY THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR JOINING US TONIGHT AND
JOINING ME TONIGHT ON SET AS
WELL IS MARY O’GRADY WALL
STREET JOURNAL OPINION COLUMNIST
AND EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER MARY
ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE YOU.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS , YOU KNOW
, WHEN I LOOK AT IT LET’S
START WITH THAT AND YOUR
REACTION TO IT I KIND OF SEE
HERE A BILL THAT RON
DESANTIS PUT FORWARD REALLY
PUSHING FOR PARENTAL RIGHTS,
THAT’S PARENTS HAVE A RIGHT TO
DECIDE WHETHER CHILDREN DO AND
DO NOT LEARN, AND I FEEL DISNEY,
BY REALLY SORT OF DIGGING INTO
THAT BILL AND TEASING OUT SOME
OF THESE ISSUES OF THAT LGBTQ,
THEY SORT OF HAVE GONE OVERBOARD
IN A WAY IN RESPONSE
TO WHAT DESANTIS IS ACTUALLY
SAYING.
>> YEAH, I THINK THEY LET
THEMSELVES GET SUCKED INTO THIS
IDEA THAT IT’S DON’T SAY
GAY BILL WHEN IT IS NOT.
IT BASICALLY SAYS THAT K-3
SHOULD NOT BE TAUGHT SEX
EDUCATION.
I MEAN, IT’S NOT ANYTHING MORE
THAN THAT.
THEY DO TALK ABOUT SEXUAL
ORIENTATION, BUT THE FACT OF THE
MATTER IS, CHILDREN IN K-3
ARE NOT TAUGHT SEX EDUCATION AND
THAT, YOU KNOW, DISNEY ALLOWED
ITSELF TO GET SUCKED INTO THIS
DEBATE.
I THINK IT’S A TRAP FOR THEM,
AND YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO
REMEMBER TOO THEY ARE AN
ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY, AND
THAT THEY ARE ALL THESE FAMILIES
WHO HAVE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT
VIEWS AND VALUES ON WHEN THEIR
CHILDREN SHOULD LEARN ABOUT SEX
EDUCATION, SO YOU KNOW FOR
DISNEY TO ENTER INTO THAT
AND DECIDE THAT THEY ARE GOING
TO TAKE ONE PARTICULAR STANCE OF
PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT
KINDERGARTENERS SHOULD BE TAUGHT
THIS , I THINK IS A DEADLY
MISTAKE FROM A BUSINESS
PERSPECTIVE.
>> RIGHT AND YOUR REACTION TO
THE SOUND BITE THAT KELLY USED
IN HER REPORT OF THAT EXECUTIVE
DESCRIBING HOW, YOU KNOW,
ESSENTIALLY SHE’S JUST SORT OF
PUSHING THIS AGENDA INTO EVERY
ASPECT OF THE SHOW AND THE
PROGRAMMING AND WHAT THEY
PUT ON AS PERFORMERS IN THE
THEME PARKS.
I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME PARENTS
WHO WOULD STAND BACK AND SAY
THAT’S NOT APPROPRIATE FOR MY
CHILD, AGAIN BACK TO RON
DESANTIS’ POINT, WHO IS DISNEY
TO MAKE THAT DECISION FOR PEOPLE
>> WE’RE IN A STRANGE TIME IN
HISTORY, I THINK, WHERE PEOPLE
FEEL THAT THEIR OPINION HAS TO
BE ACCEPTED BY EVERYONE ELSE.
IT’S ALMOST AN ABSOLUTISM LIKE
THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.
IF YOU DON’T AGREE WITH ME 100%
ON ALL OF THESE ISSUES YOU’LL BE
DRAGGED INTO THE PUBLIC SQUARE
AND YOU KNOW THERE’S STILL
RESISTANCE TO THAT IN THIS
COUNTRY.
THERE ARE PEOPLE AS I SAY WITH A
VARIETY OF DIFFERENT VIEWS
ACROSS THE SPECTRUM.
THEY AREN’T ASKING OTHER PEOPLE
TO THINK LIKE THEY DO.
THEY ARE JUST SAYING LET ME
MAINTAIN MY OWN VALUES FOR MY
OWN CHILDREN.
>> RIGHT AND SPEAKING OF THAT
RON DESANTIS WAS ON TUCKER
CARLSON AND HE WAS TALKING ABOUT
SOME OF THE HYPOCRISY THAT KELLY
MENTIONED SO I WANT TO PLAY THAT
SOUND BITE AND YOU CAN REACT ON
THE OTHER SIDE.
>> JUST AN ODD MANIFESTATION OF
THEIR CORPORATE VALUES THAT THEY
ACTUALLY DO DISNEY CRUISES,
TUCKER, TO THE NATION OF DOMINIC
A, WHICH CRIMINALIZES
HOMOSEXUALITY SO THEY ARE FINE
DOING THAT AND LINING THEIR
POCKETS, FINE LINING THEIR
POCKETS FROM THE CCP AND ALL OF
THE ATROCITIES THAT GO ON THERE.
>> HE’S REFERENCING THE WEGERS.
THEY SHOOT MOVIES IN CHINA, YET
SOMEHOW THAT’S OKAY.
THE CRUISES ARE OKAY, AND YOU
STAND BACK AND YOU SAY TO
YOURSELF WHAT ARE YOUR REAL
PRIORITIES HERE?
DO YOU HAVE A CLEAR AGENDA, HAVE
YOU EVEN THOUGHT THIS THROUGH,
DISNEY?
>> YOU KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON
HERE IS A SMALL NUMBER OF DISNEY
EMPLOYEES, DISNEY EMPLOYS
190,000 PEOPLE WORLDWIDE, AND
THIS IS A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE
WHO WANT TO DICTATE THE
POLITICAL VIEWS OF THE
DISNEY COMPANY, AND AGAIN, I
THINK IT’S A BIG MISTAKE ON THE
PART OF DISNEY TO DECIDE
THAT THESE PEOPLE SHOULD DICTATE
EVERYTHING ELSE AND LIKE YOU’RE
SAYING, THEY HAVEN’T REALLY
GIVEN THIS ANY THOUGHT.
I MEAN, IF THEY WOULD ALLOW, YOU
KNOW, SO MUCH BUSINESS TO BE
DONE IN CHINA, GIVEN WHAT THE
WEAKERS ARE GOING THROUGH,
AND YET, PUT SO MUCH ATTENTION
ON THIS PROBLEM, I THINK IT’S
HYPOCRITICAL BUT IT’S ALSO KIND
OF STUPID.
WELL SPEAKING OF THAT, YOU KNOW,
IN OUR COUNTRY PEOPLE FEEL THEY
HAVE A RIGHT TO SPEND THEIR
MONEY WHERE THEY WILL, TEACH
THEIR CHILDREN WHAT THEY WILL,
YOU KNOW, THAT FREEDOM REIGNS
SUPREME HERE AND YOU’VE GOT A
LOT OF PEOPLE IN FLORIDA.
WE HAVE SOME SOUND BITES OF THEM
ESSENTIALLY SAYING THAT THEY
WILL BOYCOTT.
LISTEN.
>> WHEN OUR ANNUAL PASSES
EXPIRED IN FEBRUARY, WE DID NOT
RENEW THEM BECAUSE OF OUR
DISPLEASURE WITH THE WAY DISNEY
HAS GONE OVERALL, NOT JUST ON
THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE, BUT ON
ALL THEIR WOKENESS.
>> I’M A PARENT MYSELF, IS THAT
IT IS THE PARENT’S JOBS TO TEACH
THEIR CHILDREN ON SOCIETY OF THE
NORMS AND OF THE NORMS OF
THEIR HOUSEHOLD.
>> I AM A RETIRED TEACHER, AND
I AGREE THAT THAT IS NOT THE
KIND OF THING THEY SHOULD BE
FOCUSING ON IN K-3.
>> SO DISNEY CAN FIND ITSELF IN
A POSITION WHERE THIS REALLY
BACKFIRES IF ENOUGH PEOPLE SHARE
THAT SENTIMENT.
I THINK IT DEPENDS HOW FAR THEY
PUSH IT.
AGAIN I WOULD STRESS THAT THIS
IS REALLY WHAT WE’RE
TALKING ABOUT HERE IS AGE
APPROPRIATENESS.
WE’RE TALKING ABOUT K THROUGH
THIRD GRADERS AND THERE’S
SOMETHING RIDICULOUS ABOUT THAT
AND VERY EXTREME, VERY RADICAL,
LIKE YOU MUST PUSH THIS THROUGH
OR , YOU KNOW, WE’RE GOING TO
REBELL.
I MEAN, THAT TELLS YOU SOMETHING
ABOUT HOW KIND OF ABSURD THE
WHOLE ISSUE IS.
>> YEAH, WE HAVE JOE CONCHA
WITH US AS WELL THE HILL MEDIUM
COLUMNIST.
JOE I WANT YOUR TAKE ON THE
DISNEY CONTROVERSY IF YOU
WILL, WITH GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS
>> IT’S REALLY INCREDIBLE WHEN
YOU LOOK AT HOW JACKIE, THIS
STORY IS BEING PRESENTED IN
THE MEDIA, WHERE IT IS CALLED A
DON’T SAY GAY BILL IN MANY MANY
HEADLINES, WHENEVER THE GOVERNOR
IS ASKED ABOUT IT IT’S REFERRED
TO AS DON’T SAY GAY IN THESE
SITUATIONS, AND THAT IS NOT WHAT
THE BILL SAYS.
NOWHERE IN THIS BILL DOES IT SAY
THE WORD GAY, YET YOU HAVE
DEMOCRATIC ACTIVISTS AND
LAWMAKERS LABELING IT THAT WAY
AND LOW AND BEHOLD MANY OF OUR
MEDIA GO AHEAD AND THEY PRESENT
IT IN HEADLINES AS ABSOLUTE FACT
LITERALLY PUSHING A TALKING
POINT AS GOSPEL, AND LOOK, YOU
COULD SEND ANYBODY OUT INTO THE
STREET, JACKIE.
I DON’T CARE IF THE DEEPEST BLUE
CITY OR YOUR AVERAGE TOWN IN
PENNSYLVANIA OR OHIO AND YOU
ASK THEM THE QUESTION, DO YOU
THINK THAT KINDERGARTENERS
SHOULD BE TAUGHT ABOUT SEX AND
SEXUAL ORIENTATION AT
KINDERGARTEN, AT FIRST GRADE,
SECOND GRADE.
I HAVE A KINDERGARTENER AND A
SECOND GRADER AND I CAN TELL YOU
MY ANSWER, ABSOLUTELY NOT AND I
LIEUTENANT IN A BLUE STATE AND
TALK TO MANY MANY PARENTS THAT
VOTE DEMOCRAT AND ALL OF THEM
ARE IN AGREEMENT.
THIS SHOULD NOT BE BEING TEACHED
THE KIDS THAT TAUGHT, EXCUSE ME
THE KIDS THAT ARE SIX, SEVEN,
EIGHT YEARS OLD AND POLLS IN
FLORIDA REFLECT A MAJORITY OF
FLORIDIANS REPORT DESANTIS AND
THE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATOR ON
THIS YET WE HAVE A BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION CITING AGAINST
PARENTS AND DECLARING DURING A
PRESS CONFERENCE YESTERDAY IT
WILL MONITOR THE SITUATION TO
SEE IF ANY FEDERAL LAWS ARE
BEING BROKEN.
WHAT A HILL TO DIE ON, JACKIE.
>> JOE WE’VE SEEN A LOT IN THE
LAST TWO YEARS CLIMBING UP
THIS WOKE MOUNTAIN, IF YOU WILL,
AND THINGS JUST CONTINUE TO GET
WORSE, AND SO YOU SORT OF
SEE A SITUATION LIKE THIS AND
YOU WONDER WHERE DOES IT STOP,
WHO HAS THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE IT
STOP?
IS THIS JUST THE DIRECTION
SOCIETY IS HEADED IN AND THE
FOLKS WHO FEEL, YOU KNOW, MY
KINDERGARTENER SHOULDN’T HAVE TO
LEARN ABOUT THESE THINGS, THEY
ARE GOING TO BECOME THE MINORITY
>> JACKIE, I THINK IT STOPS AT
THE VOTING BOOTH QUITE FRANKLY,
BECAUSE WE SAW THIS MOVIE PLAY
OUT IN VIRGINIA, DURING THE
GOVERNOR’S RACE THERE IN
2021.
GLENN YOUNGKIN RAN PRIMARILY ON
THE ISSUE OF EDUCATION, PARENTS
CHOICE, PARENTS LIKE ME SAYING I
WANT A SAY IN WHAT MY KIDS ARE
BEING TAUGHT.
I WANT TO SEE WHAT THE
CURRICULUM IS AND THEN I’D
LIKE TO GIVE MY INPUT ON THAT
WHETHER I THINK THAT IT’S A GOOD
IDEA OR NOT.
IN THE U.S. RIGHT NOW, WE ARE
RANKED 25TH IN EDUCATION IN
TERMS OF MATH, SCIENCE, IN
READING, AND CHINA IS NUMBER ONE
, THEY ARE CLEANING OUR CLOCK
BECAUSE WE ARE FOCUSING TOO MUCH
ON RACE.
WE ARE FOCUSING TOO MUCH ON SEX
AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION INSTEAD
OF THE BASIC BLOCKING AND
TACKLING THAT OUR KIDS NEED TO
SURVIVE IN THIS WORLD WHEN THEY
ARE ADULTS.
>> ESPECIALLY AT A TIME WHERE
THEY’VE BEEN SO SET BACK BY THE
LOCKDOWNS FROM THE PANDEMIC
AS WELL.
THAT’S AN EXCELLENT POINT.