Kennedy blasts Disney boss, says he acted 'without a spine' in face of 'Wokers'
He says Chapek bowed to the 'Wokers'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sen. John Kennedy ripped Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek after he announced the entertainment company's opposition to a Florida state parental-rights-in-education law.
Kennedy, R-La., told Fox News that Chapek was initially averse to getting involved in the matter but ultimately bowed to the minority of far-left "wokers" angry that Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the legislation, which bars early childhood grades from being taught about sexual orientation and gender identity.
On "Jesse Watters Primetime," host Jesse Watters reported that Florida schools do teach sex-ed to children — albeit in the fifth grade and not in kindergarten, which the law prohibits. Kennedy acknowledged the point, saying most Americans understand the difference in such grade levels.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FLORIDA PARENTAL RIGHTS BILL SPONSOR REJECTS, REFUNDS DISNEY DONATIONS
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"I think most fair-minded people believe that there are certain topics that are inappropriate to discuss with very young children," he said.
He criticized Chapek, saying the "wokers" who purportedly forced the issue believe they have a "monopoly on truth."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}DESANTIS: DISNEY BROUGHT CALIFORNIA VALUES TO FLORIDA
Gov. Ron DeSantis. (REUTERS/Carlo Allegri)
"[T]he Wokers who work at Disney, they went to Bob Chapek, the CEO of Disney, and said, ‘We want Disney to come out against this law.’ Mr. Chapek said, 'No, we're remaining neutral. This has nothing to do with Disney.' Well, the Wokers really got mad and they brought in out-of-state Wokers and some Hollywood Wokers, and they really put pressure on Mr. Chapek."
"And Mr. Chapek flip-flopped like a banked catfish and gave in and said, 'Now I'm putting the full weight of Disney behind trying to repeal this law,'" he added.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I do not understand how Mr. Chapek walks without a spine."
Kennedy added that criticisms of the bill are flawed, in that "gender dysphoria" is not something that should be a subject of discrimination, but that the law has "nothing to do with it."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sen. John Kennedy. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
"This has to do with talking to kids, with consent of their parents, about appropriate subjects, but also excluding inappropriate subjects," he said.
Disney should be more concerned about the Chinese regime's treatment of Uyghur Muslims before it directs its ire at Florida lawmakers, Watters added.
At a Disney shareholders meeting earlier in March, Chapek said "our original approach, no matter how well intended, didn't quite get the job done," according to Bloomberg in announcing what Kennedy characterized as his change-of-heart.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Originally, the executive had said he didn't want the house of mouse to become a "political football."