Baptists Threaten To Boycott Mickey Resolution Says Disney Seems To Be Promoting Homosexuality

The 16 million-member Southern Baptist Convention is threatening to boycott Walt Disney Co. - from cartoons and toys to its theme parks - saying it seems to be promoting homosexuality over family values.

“We’re through with the mouse until the company cleans up its act,” said Gary Hughes, one of the more than 13,000 delegates who voted Wednesday in favor of the boycott resolution.

Delegates cited Disney’s extension of health benefits to the companions of homosexual employees, its admission of gay- and lesbian-themed events to its theme parks, and the release by Disney subsidiaries of movies with adult themes and language.

No deadline was set for the boycott, which will only take effect if Disney ignores their call for changes, members said.

“It’s a provisional call for a boycott,” said Bill Merrell. “If Disney says, ‘We hear you and we want to make an effort to cooperate with you,’ I think we would be happy to talk to them and work it out.”

The resolution said: “In recent years, the Disney Co. has given the appearance that the promotion of homosexuality is more important than its historic commitment to traditional family values.”

Disney quickly objected.

“We question any group that demands that we deprive people of health benefits and we know of no tourist destination in the world that denies admission to people as the Baptists are insisting we do,” the entertainment company said in a brief statement.

Many delegates said they would start a boycott immediately. Roger Cheramie of Soda Springs, Idaho, said he would disconnect the Disney Channel as soon as he returned home.

But the resolution probably won’t affect the convention the denominational group is scheduled to hold in the year 2000 in Orlando, Fla., home of Walt Disney World. Outgoing president Jim Henry said he doubted there was time to rebook a meeting the size of the Southern Baptist Convention.