Disney World may be tepid on Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, but after a video came out of the park of a high school dance troupe from southern Texas showing the performers belting out “Scalp ‘em, Indians, scalp ‘em!” went viral, the apologizes from The Happiest Place on Earth began flowing.
RELATED: Disney employees stage walkouts after CEO's lackluster opposition to 'Don't Say Gay' bill
On Tuesday on Main Street USA in Disney World, the Port Neches-Groves band and Indianettes marched to their school fight song, which included a large group of young Karens in training mimicking some generic Native American dance along with the offending lyrics.
“You see not only this really obviously racist chant being said and a bunch of presumably non-Native people wearing fringe and putting their hands over their mouths and doing ‘war whoops’ or whatever,” Native American attorney Tara Houska slammed Disney for allowing the racist performance.
“Shame on @disneyparks for hosting this,” she posted on Twitter.
There’s that, and then there’s all the people that are cheering them on ... who are tacitly saying, ‘This is OK.’”
Disney spokesperson Jacquee Wahler told the Miami Herald that they did not approve the performance by the high school and that the routine they submitted to Disney officials didn’t include the offensive lyrics.
“The live performance in our park did not reflect our core values, and we regret it took place,” said the email statement. “It was not consistent with the audition tape the school provided and we have immediately put measures in place so this is not repeated.”
Since the video has gone viral, Port Neches-Groves High School has locked down its social media platforms but offered the statement:
“We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our school district ... our Board of Trustees is committed to always making the best decisions for our students, staff, and the communities of Port Neches and Groves.”
Meanwhile, Disney employees have spoken out against CEO Bob Chapek’s pathetic statement about Florida’s hateful “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Republicans pushed (and passed) the legislation as a matter of parental rights, but of course, it’s just another way to subjugate the LGBTQ+ community and their families.
While Chapek has given an updated statement, promising an ongoing commitment to LGBTQ+ allyship and a pause on all political donations in the state, Disney employees want more. So they’re walking out.
“The recent statements by The Walt Disney Company (TWDC) leadership regarding the Florida legislature’s recent ‘Don’t Say Gay or Trans’ bill have utterly failed to match the magnitude of the threat to LGBTQIA+ safety represented by this legislation,” organizers of the “Disney Do Better Walkout” wrote in an open letter.