Abigail Disney, heiress to the Walt Disney Company and a prominent liberal donor, recently expressed her concerns about the current state of American politics, suggesting that a "civilization-level reset" is needed.
In an interview with The Guardian, as reported by Fox News, Disney shared her thoughts on the Democratic Party's position under President Donald Trump's second term. Known for her candid views, Disney had previously threatened to withhold funding from the Democratic Party following then-President Biden's poor debate performance in June. She clarified that her decision was based on "realism, not disrespect."
Following the Democrats' defeat in November, Disney provided a bleak outlook on America's future. "I spend a lot of time trying to think of reasons to be optimistic, because I dont know how to function without that. And I want to find the energy and the grit for a really long fight," she said. "This isnt just four years you know, theres a whole civilization-level reset to be done."
The Guardian's John Harris expressed surprise at the lack of mass mobilization among Americans, prompting Disney to suggest a possible reason. "We could all show up on the streets. But what would be the uniting message?" she questioned. "The chaos is deliberate: its meant to give us too much to handle. Do we go out there about the environment? Do we go out there about DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion policies]? Do we go out there about gay rights, about womens rights?"
Disney further argued that the challenge for progressives is uniting everyone around a single issue. She also noted that even if they did mobilize, they lack leverage due to the dramatic changes in the political and media landscape.
"Well, we [Democrats] have a minority in the House and the Senate. We have a cabinet that is so radical, and they are lining the government with people who are beyond radical and there is no place where we can exercise visible dissent Were being shut out," Disney explained. "And the way of communicating has completely changed. An op-ed in the New York Times isnt going to change things."
She also pointed out the decline of liberal institutions in recent years, stating, "Black associations, neighbourhood associations, PTAs we need to do the work of rebuilding those spaces. We need the basis of a really vibrant progressive society. We let it die."
Disney called for prominent progressive figures like Bernie Sanders and AOC to take action. "We need, you know, the people we have that are greeted as authentic in the real world, not focus groups, to go out and be authentic with their passion and their smarts about where to go from here."
She concluded by highlighting the division in America between unwavering Trump supporters and the rest of the country. "He has a critical mass of 35% to 40% of the American public which is far too many people who are completely on board with the cruelty and the derision and the trolling. But that leaves everybody whos either too tired, or too alienated or estranged from the process," Disney said. "Theyre ours. But we have to do the work."
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