Hey, mousepadders, check out my new missive: The Magic Mirror, an editorial on the events of Philadelphia and beyond...

http://www.savedisney.com/news/editorials/mj031404.1.asp

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

I think this just about summed it all up:


"Fortunately, we are not all asleep in our glass coffins.

Nationwide, a growing discomfort with a lack of control in our jobs, over our environment, our products, society and lives has reached critical mass. Our anger threatens to dwarf Wall Street and other seats of power.

And the proof is everywhere...

The Michael Eisner story is really no different from the Martha Stewart story or the ENRON story. Tales of hubris, arrogance, elitism and greed—and classic fairy tale comeuppance. The common man triumphs.

The public reaction to these scandals proves hearts still beat throughout the Kingdom. The people are taking their lives back. They have surprised the experts and pollsters everywhere... In great number, they have shown themselves in California, where a dismissive Gray Davis was rebuffed for a populist Arnold the Governator, at the box office for The Passion and in Philadelphia at the Disney shareholders meeting.

The surveys have missed something: The winds are changing. The public knows the difference after all."

Great essay, MJ. Thank you!

Some say they felt sorry for Disney's upper management as they were given the proverbial hook one-by-one in Philly. Some say they were just doing their jobs (where have we heard that one before...?)—

Ouch! OUCH!!!??? Merlin must have loved that scene in "Hunchback" with the torching of the farmhouse (which refered to the same thing).

Brilliant article, by the way!

Wow, impressive article!
I'm glad save disney decided to publish it. Thanks for posting it here, although I'm sure I would have found it eventually on their site.
Now I don't have to wonder if that was Mousepads Merlin Jones;)

Great column, mj. Correct (IMO) in every way.

I still think the consumer has to make the tough decision as well: STOP BUYING THE PRODUCTS IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE QUALITY!!

And, of course, do buy products that do have the quality.

No, not any organized boycott. Just with products and services that are deemed not up to Disney standards. Make the decision yourself to be more discriminate with your dollars going to Eisner's pockets.

Great Article.
For those of us out there who truly believe in Magic, it helps keep the dream alive.

I met my handsome prince charming and married him in the Rose Garden at the Hotel (now the ESPN Zone in DDT).

Maybe somewhere out there Prince Charming waits to take Disney to new heights. There has to be someone, creative, suave, not necessarily business oriented (we have seen where that can lead), and ready to step in.

I for one am constantly bolstered by Merlin's articles, he tells it like he sees it.