COMBATING BIGOTRY & HATE | SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

An Open Letter to the Executives of Disney and A&E

My name is Joel Anderson and I have been a Scientologist since 1985. I was, as a young man, trying to find answers that no one could furnish to the questions I had about what life was supposed to be. I searched through 19 different religions over a 20-year period to find those answers and found them only in Scientology.

I have been a structural and specialty contractor for almost half a century and have helped build several of the very Disney properties over which you preside. I used to have an enormous respect for Disney. I was proud to help provide joy for families and children of all ages, and enjoy the family fun myself. As a young boy, every Sunday night at 7pm with my family and the whole neighborhood, I watched the Walt Disney Show, starting in 1958. That was just what all families did on Sunday night. It was tradition.

Disney store front sign — Photo by Chris Dorney/Shutterstock.com

Disney, for decades, has been a family-oriented company fostering wholesome beliefs and airing shows and activities that promote a happy, productive lifestyle. Although the majority of Disney’s ventures are clean entertainment—holding steadfast to its iconic founder’s legacy—I have lost a definite level of respect for them. Disney Chairman Bob Iger cancelled The Roseanne Show for a racial slur yet allows the production and broadcasting of a show that slams freedom of religion through bigotry, hate and lies.

Maybe no other network runs these kinds of shows because they are just not stupid enough.

A&E had some of the best shows around and used to be one of my favorite channels. But I haven’t watched A&E for about a decade when all that started to get replaced by the punk garbage you concentrated on, until the majority of your programming descended to its current pitiful state.

But now you’re doing a third season featuring the bigot Leah Remini, not just attacking Scientology, but—as rumor has it—bashing other faiths as well. And I can’t figure out why, because viewership stats of her show have crashed.

You’re apparently adding even more “docuseries” programming to your lineup to boost ratings on the mistaken belief that the broadcasting of controversy, bigotry and hate is the way to the top, though no one else is willing to air this kind of programming.

An image of a TV being thrown in the garbage — Photo by Pete Birkinshaw/Flickr.com

Well maybe no other network runs these kinds of shows because they are just not stupid enough. They value life, freedom and human rights, choosing to help our society rather than brainwash it into extinction.

Leah Remini’s show has already caused hundreds of threats of violence to Scientologists and Churches of Scientology. It has caused kids to be bullied at school and families to be harassed. This is just one of the “aftermaths” of Remini’s show, of which she and your organization are so proud.

How would you like your child to be bullied in school for his beliefs? Supporting this series and the other crap series you plan to air is paying Remini and others like her to spread hatred, to inflame through lies and prompt acts of violence.

In 33 years of being a parishioner and humanitarian volunteer of the Church of Scientology I have never once experienced the claims your liars are making on Remini’s show.

Have you done your own investigation of these “facts”? Have you visited a Church of Scientology? Have you watched the Scientology Network? Doubtful.

I urge you to consider this communication as a wakeup call.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to look around and find out that all is not well with our society. The media is largely responsible for the current condition of the world. All one has to do is review the false claims spewed over the decades about almost any subject one could name.

You are either part of the problem or part of the solution.

I hope, for your sake and the world’s sake as much as mine, you change your course.

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