Lori MacPherson, Senior Vice President
Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521
Dear Ms. MacPherson:
I am glad to hear that Disney has teamed up with the American Kennel Club to discourage people from running out and buying the type of dog they just saw in a movie that morning. I hope that along with providing informational inserts with DVDs, you will find a way to include this sort of information for people when they see the films in the theater.
People will still buy and then abandon bunnies at Easter time, and will undoubtedly fall in love with whatever animal is depicted in the latest Disney film and insist on owning one. Although it most likely will not completely eradicate the problem of kids demanding animals that will inevitably end up in shelters, it is important to try and curb this phenomenon.
I read that you included supplementary information regarding child safety with a Cinderella DVD. The article, however, did not explain what the safety issue was. Did you warn children against playing in fireplaces, or attempting to wrangle mice to pull pumpkin carriages? I think it would be equally wise to include caveats for young girls with films like Cinderella and Snow White that “someday, your prince may not actually come.” Some films may require a warning to the effect that “characters in this film embody stereotypes that portray women as helpless, unintelligent, and or shallow. Viewer discretion is advised.”
Until young viewers are old enough to have developed their critical thinking skills, these sorts of warnings will do a world of good in countering the potentially negative effects of viewing the movies.
Truly,
Liz Mann
