Posted on 05/12/2005 7:13:02 PM PDT by Laissez-faire capitalist
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. - The third annual "OUT at the Park" at Dollywood is set for Saturday May 28, 2005, from 8 a.m-9 p.m. followed by the first annual "OUT at the Water Park" at Dollywood's Splash Country on Saturday May 29 from 10 a.m- 6 p.m.
"OUT at the Park" is a gay weekend event organized by a nonprofit organiztion interested in creating events that are fun social opportunities for GLBTQ community members of all ages.
(Excerpt) Read more at outinsarasota.com ...
Can't make it. Tutu's at the cleaners. Mebbe next year.
No, their shares are sold on the NYSE, thus they are considered PUBLIC. They are in business to sell tickets, and they earn their money by attempting to create a 'family friendly' environment; to encourage families to come and visit. Think for a moment; Gays make up less than 3% of the population in general; what would motivate a multi-national company to destroy their 'family-friendly' basis for their entire corporation?
Because, like a theater, retail store, resturant or service industry, the theme parks cannot arbitrarily decline to admit a person based upon sexual orientation, religion, race, creed, yadda, yadda, yadda.
Open a resturant, and post a sign that says 'No Blacks Allowed on property" and see what happens. Open a theater and state that you will not sell a homosexual to enter. I think we both know what would happen. If you happen to be financially successful, and cater weddings, yet refuse to cater a homosexual 'wedding' YOUR company will be sued, and you will lose.
If you would trouble yourself to LEARN and to READ what Disney has said, in regard to these groups; you would realize that Disney denies any involvement in 'Gay Days', in either organization nor promotions. Disney has NO CHOICE but to admit these people; or be sued and bankrupted in court (ie. discrimination). Isn't tolerance grand?
Tell me about it. Being out of the loop on gay activities, we made reservations last year for DisneyWorld for the first week of June. I accidently found out and was able....with a lot of trouble...to cancel everything. My children will see perverts soon enough without us paying hardearned money to take them to an exhibition of them. And I did not change the reservations - but cancelled them forever.
However they continue to refuse to warn mothers and fathers that homosexals are having a homo-sex day at the park.
Please do some thinking on your own. Disney has NO CHOICE but to sell tickets, rooms and hotel blocks to gay organizations. If they sell these things to Black groups, High School Bands, Class Re-Unions, Family Re-Unions or Avon meetings; they MUST provide this service to any group of individuals that requests it.
Would Disney be sued if they posted a sign at the front gate that said "We have a lot of Blacks in here today, folks", or how about "You may want to re-think your visit today, because we have a lot of Jews in here", or how about "Can't stand Asians? Well, we gottem here, so you can drive home safely". We both know what would happen, don't we? Disney would be sued into bankruptcy. Same thing with Gay groups. They can not discriminate ... period.
Disney can not do, nor say anything about any group; lest they be sued for discrimination. Disney loses on all fronts here, folks. I'm pretty sure they are even less happy about it than you are. Why? These things lower park revenue, and corporations are all about increasing (not decreasing) their public perception and their revenue line.
This is your right, but it is also your family's loss. You punished two groups of innocents. First, you punished your family; for there is nothing they could have done to change things. You family does not have the right to kick obviously 'Gay' people out of a park that they paid to get into. And sadly, the other innocent party is the people at Disney, for they cannot do anything about this either.
Agreed on this one. But, if you stop and think it through, the Dollywood logo is a copyright. Dollywood owns this, and NO ONE may use it without explicit permission by Dollywood.
The same thing goes for DisneyWorld. Mickey is a trademark, and is copyrighted; thus the 'Gay Days' are free to state that they are going to meet at a park; but if they use the logo, they can be sued. They may be perverts, but they aren't stupid. Their fliers and thier websites can mention that they are meeting at the park, they can state the park name and date; they can provide driving instructions, and include promotional pictures of the parks. But, Disney owns the logo's; so if they publish Goofy and Mickey in an unnatural act, they can and will likely be sued.
Every corporation has a choice, either fight and protect your copyright at every turn, or abandon it as public domain. Remember when Disney got some bad press for making a day care facility paint over some Disney characters that were on the inside of the facility? Once Disney knew that unauthorized pictures were being used, they had a choice of either stopping it, or abandoning the copyright forever.
Ping to self for later pingout.
"If you want to come, fine - we'll take your money. We don't offer discounts and we don't promote messages based upon whatever your opinions or beliefs may be." Plain, simple, and non-discriminatory.
They DO offer these discounts and promotions because they want to stuff as many 'paying cattle' inside the gates as they can. You can't deny them access but you don't have to promote their causes either, and by putting up the signs that they do, and advertising the themes, they are doing just that.
The Constitution may guarantee free speech and unhindered assembly but it says nothing about free advertising. If you would trouble yourself to understand these differences...
These companies' misdirection should be obvious: trying to draw attention toward "what can we do?", and away from the greed motive (has it ever been put to their stockholders whether or not they condone promotions?).
ROFL!
Anyway, who the 'ell are you to declare that we punished our family and Disney by our change of plans? And nowhere in my post did I suggest as you wrote "You family does not have the right to kick obviously 'Gay' people out of a park that they paid to get into.. You have crossed waaaaaay over the line there buddy. In a word.....strange.
Should be a run on Clorox soon around Dolly's playground ... does that kill the HIV virus?
Well, they should not have just walked away. They should have stood up for their rights. If the gays can have their day, the Christians can have their day, too. I am sick and tired of everyone getting their rights protected except the majority!
I'd offer a place to stay, John, but the flight cost makes a Dollywood visit prohibitive. LOL!
They are open to the public. They are not "private" meaning that "members only" can visit.
Disney allows the "gay"days organizers to use the mousehead logo.
One year Dollywood had "Gay Day" and a lot of company picnics at the same time. Needless to say, the companies are calling to make sure this doesn't happen again.
How does Dollywood handle this?
Disney can also force them to stop using their name and logos as they have with other groups.
Note: Dollywood has a lot of religious influence throughout the park.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.