An open letter to those currently holding the reigns at Disney…
August 7, 2024 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Dear current Disney board and top-level staff,
Thanks for reading.
Sincerely,
Signed: “Those of us who collect authentic newspapers (including reports related to the Wonderful World of Disney) to be reminded of the good, the bad, and the ugly of the past… that is, to keep us tethered to the good, to learn from the bad (and to be encouraged by how far we’ve come), and to help us gain sobering perspective from the ugly. In this case, while an imperfect man, we put Walt Disney in column #1.”
Snapshot 1966… Cancel culture, free speech, and a civil society…
November 9, 2020 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
What to cancel vs. what to keep? Revisionism vs. an accurate accounting?
The practice of what we currently refer to as “Cancel Culture” is nothing new. Few details remain of China’s glorious early history due to the practice of each new dynasty expunging any evidence regarding the former so-as to elevate itself to the top of the historical record. Other religions and societies have done the same in order to eliminate the warts which are common to all. While some believe it is important to remember history, no matter how ugly, in the hope that future generations will learn from past mistakes, others are convinced the past is too painful, and must therefore be eradicated from wherever it might rear its ugly head.
Although statues, flags, and other symbols have been the most recent targets of this tension, the written word was the most common target of past generations, and was realized through both the banning and burning of books which were deemed too immoral, too painful, or too revealing of “whatever we currently don’t want to be known” to be read. Examples include Uncle Tom’s Cabin, 1984, Animal Farm, Brave New World, and the feature of this post, To Kill A Mocking Bird. Published in 1966 to overwhelming critical approval, it wasn’t too long before it began to receive considerable resistance for a plethora of objections, and although included on many high school and junior high school reading lists, attempts to remove it from school libraries were quite common. The article below highlights one such a case, with the New York Times of January 16, 1966 printing Harper Lee’s own response to a local schoolboard near Richmond, Virginia.
The purpose of this post is not to resolve the issues created by both free speech and revisionism; rather, to merely ponder these issues in light of the past. My only editorial contribution is that I’m glad I can still look back at such accounts as printed in old newspapers and hopefully glean perspective on how and where I’d like to tread in the present.
“Believe It Or Not” – 1866 edition…
October 30, 2017 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
While browsing a set of rare Daily Wisconsin Union’s from 1866, I came across an interesting set of articles within the December 29, 1866 issue which seemed appropriate for Halloween – although I’m sure Charles Dickens would beg to differ. Please enjoy the following stories involving ghosts and dreams:
Feel free to also peruse our Halloween-themed blogs and listings.
New Year’s Eve – a look back…
December 30, 2016 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
What do race riots, Kevlar, Star Trek, and Pet Sounds have in common? They all have their roots firmly established in the year 1966. While the 11:00 news brought daily reminders of the horrors of war, many back home were additionally distraught by the $14,000 price-tag for a new home and the 32 cent per gallon price they were paying for gas to fuel their gas-guzzling Bonnevilles and Oldsombiles. Young men were conflicted over whether to ogle more over Chargers, Mustangs, and GTO’s, or the most amount of bare leg they had ever seen thanks to the ever-popular mini skirt. Just for fun, we selected a New Year’s Eve issue from small-town Kansas (Parsons, Kansas) to explore how those who lived at the time viewed this tumultuous and formative time in both American and world history. Of particular note is the editorial regarding honesty in Washington, D.C.. Please enjoy: New Year’s Eve – 1966
Christmas Eve – Looking back…
December 23, 2016 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
What was it like to live in small-town America, Christmas Eve, 1966? While the Vietnam War raged on and confidence in those entrusted with political leadership was plummeting, the tense mood of the day took a breather while friends and foes alike united in a their well-wishes for a happy, blessed Christmas for all. This atmosphere of good tidings is well-communicated through the pages of the December 24, 1966 issue of The Pratt Tribune, from Pratt, Kansas. The following link will take you to a glimpse of the past: Christmas Eve, 1966.
The Traveler… “Who’s the leader of the club…?”
December 19, 2016 by The Traveler · 2 Comments
Today’s journey took me to New York City by the way of The New York Times dated December 16, 1966. There on the front page I found the headline “Walt Disney, 65, Dies on Coast; Founded an Empire on a Mouse.” “Walt Disney, who built his whimsical cartoon world of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs into a $100-million-a-year entertainment empire; died in St. Joseph’s Hospital here this morning. He was 65 years old… Just before his last illness, Mr. Disney was supervising the construction of a new Disneyland in Florida…”
Oddly enough, Mr. Disney did not do any of the drawings of his famous Mickey Mouse.
~The Traveler
A December, 2016 stroll back thru time – 50, 100, 150, 200, & 250 years ago…
December 8, 2016 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Thanksgiving Proclamation by President Lyndon B. Johnson…
November 24, 2016 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
The New York Times dated October 19, 1966 was one of the few newspapers we’ve unearthed which printed the full text of LBJ’s eloquent Thanksgiving Proclamation – a message still worthy of consideration a half-century later. If anyone knows of other titles which printed it, we would love to hear about it. In our opinion, it’s that good. Happy Thanksgiving.
A November, 2016 stroll back thru time – 50, 100, 150, 200, & 250 years ago…
November 3, 2016 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
An October, 2016 stroll back thru time – 50, 100, 150, 200, & 250 years ago…
October 3, 2016 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment