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On April 11, 2018, the Tampa Bay Times reported that Disney Worldwide (a subsidiary of the The Walt Disney Company) gave the political committee Florida Grown more than $749,000 to support the 2018 gubernatorial bid of Florida agriculture commissioner Adam Putnam. Disney has funded Putnam despite the former congressman’s well-known demagoguery on the gun issue. Putnam brags openly about his A+ rating from the NRA and calls himself a “proud NRA sellout.”
Putnam has been a leader in the campaign to force Florida’s colleges and universities to allow guns on their campuses. He also opposed Florida’s recently enacted gun reforms, including a three-day waiting period for most long gun purchases and a minimum long gun purchasing age of 21. Putnam’s latest idea, which he pushed right up until 17 students and faculty were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, was to allow Florida to issue concealed carry permits to applicants who had yet to complete a background check.
It’s an odd choice for Disney. Disney has a strict gun policy. No visitors can carry guns in their parks, or store them there. Employees cannot bring guns to work, either. In 2008, the corporation had to beat back a challenge from pro-gun legislators in Florida who sought to force Disney to allow guns in their parks.
If elected governor, Adam Putnam wouldn’t just be a threat to safety in Disney’s parks, however. He would be a threat to public safety across Florida. Throwing hundreds of thousands of dollars at Adam Putnam is in direct conflict with Disney’s stated goal of being a “good corporate citizen” that “acts ethically” and “invests in communities.”
Please take one or more of the following actions today:
1) Contact Disney Worldwide through one of the channels below and give them the following message (personalized to your liking):
I was deeply disturbed to learn that Disney Worldwide has contributed more than $749,000 to the political committee Florida Grown in support of gubernatorial candidate and pro-gun extremist Adam Putnam. Disney has a stated goal of being a “good corporate citizen” that “acts ethically” and “invests in communities.” I don’t see how you are doing that by throwing hundreds of thousands of dollars at a candidate that brags about being owned by the gun lobby. Adam Putnam has spent his entire political career opposing any and every attempt to prevent the loss of human life to gun violence—including the modest and prudent gun reforms enacted in Florida in the wake of the terrible mass shooting in Parkland. Didn’t Disney fight a battle with men just like Adam Putnam in 2008 who tried to force your parks to allow gun-carrying? I can’t believe you are bankrolling this dangerous man. It will certainly affect my decision to purchase Disney products moving forward. The youth in your state have demonstrated great courage and resolve in standing up against gun violence, and for safe communities. You need to follow their example. This is not Disney anywhere near its best.
2) Sign the Guns Down petition calling for Disney to cut ties with Putnam and share it with others:
https://gunsdownamerica.org/campaign/disney-must-cut-ties-with-adam-putnam/
Once you have taken one or more of the above actions, click the orange banner below to report taking action!