Email from Michael Eisner

OnWithTheShow

No Entangling Alliances
Joined
Sep 20, 1999
Dear Fellow Cast Members:

This Sunday and Monday, ABC will be airing a remarkable film, "Anne Frank,"
about the girl who wrote the famous diary and has come to symbolize the
millions of children who were murdered or uprooted by Hitler's armies during
World War II.

I have worked in the entertainment industry for more than 35 years and, most
of the time, that is what we do - we entertain, producing movies and TV
shows that divert and even delight. But, sometimes we reach a little
higher. This is what we did when I was at ABC in the '70s with "Roots."
This is what we did at Disney in the '80s with "Dead Poets Society." This
is what we did three years ago on the Wonderful World of Disney TV show with
"Ruby Bridges." And, this is what we have done with "Anne Frank."

This film is based on the acclaimed biography by Melissa Muller. It goes
beyond Anne's diary, showing us her promising life before the war and
continuing through her terrifying journey to the concentration camps in
Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen, where she lost her life, not yet 16. The
producers of "Anne Frank" worked hard to accurately depict the conditions
she faced. For this reason, the second night's broadcast contains scenes
that may be too intense for some children. But for older children and
teenagers, it offers invaluable lessons, not just about the evil of
intolerance and hate, but about courage, humanity and the bonds of family.

Because this is not ordinary television, our company is doing an
out-of-the-ordinary thing, and will sponsor the final hour of the film's
broadcast without commercial interruption.

I hope you will watch this remarkable film. And, if you have children of
the appropriate age, I hope you will watch it with them so that, together,
you can learn the lessons that Anne's life continues to teach us.

Michael
 


There was no joke in the original post. I appreciate that you shared the e-mail, but I'm not surprised by the initial reaction.

Kungaloosh!
 
I reluctantly post this.....I know I will get flamed, however the message of Ann Frank is too important to ignore. We giggle and joke and tease away the uncomortable, and ignore history hoping it doesn't involve or affect us.......

I teach a freshman seminar on critical thinking at a large state university. We use the book, the Sunflower, by Simon Wiesenthal as one of our major "starting point" books (also To Kill a Mockingbird, and several others). I am no longer surprised by the lack of historical knowledge and the lack of decorum in remembering the events of WWII. We had students view a theatrical performance of the Diary of Ann Frank, and they were quite inapproriate. That is why we have them read and discuss...when you ask them to think and feel and discuss the story and that of Simon Wiesenthal's, boy, do we open Pandora's box.

I am, by no means, any fan of Eisner. However, I greatly respect that ABC and Disney has made this movie- I am taping it at the moment, and hope to obtain a "commercial free" copy. It is a wonderful portrayal of an "unremarkable" girl. What was so remarkable about Ann Frank? NOTHING....she was simply an everyday kid who happened to leave behind a diary......that is what is so remarkable. She could have been anybody's sister, daughter, niece or friend. She was real.......that is her message.

Ruby Bridges was a similar story. Nothing remarkable about that little girl...she didn't ask to become an icon for the civil rights movement- she just wanted to go to school. Again, that is what makes her story become so important- she wasn't a martyr or a saint- just a person.

My oldest two daughters (9 and 13) are watching the movie with my husband and me....they are crying because Ann left her cat behind....they wouldn't want to leave THEIR cats. An ugly movie for them to watch- yes. Perhaps they will be more sensitive and more likely to stand up for injustice. Perhaps it can open discussion on hate and racism. Perhaps they will be more open to differences. I can only hope.

I hope that we remember the moment and message of Ann Frank. Disney and WDW is great- it is a place I go to forget about the real world, and hope that maybe the world will be more like (even inspite of all the "downsizing" that Eisner is doing!!!!!)......the movie of Ann Frank may be disturbing, it may be uncomfortable. That is what is important. I am not jewish, but Catholic. None the less, I lost family in Eastern Europe during the war..we have so many hate wars and territory wars currently. An Frank's story reminds us.....for the grace of God it is not us and not in our backward. Do not let us forget.
 
I don't know if anyone was thinking that I shared Michael's email with you to jest. The only reason I posted it is because I thought that it was an important topic to share with the DIS community. I too am Catholic not Jewish and I am also a college student. I must say that it was my experience working with the Walt Disney Company that has greatly expanded my desire to learn about and respect other cultures. I already had a desire to learn about the history of the human race for those who do not learn from it are doomed to repeat it.
Val, I have no idea why you think you will get flamed. Anyone who does not understand where you are coming from is obviously quite ignorant and has little respect for other people.
 


I've seen better decorum on the Debate board.

I was worried, since I had to work Out of the office this week and was wondering how I would cope without my beloved rumoursw board, now I'm thinking I'll be glad I'm not around.
 
My initial response to TestTrack's post was basically one of disbelief - could he or she possibly be laughing at a show that keeps alive the knowledge of one of the most horrific acts perpetrated on any group of people? I am a Christian and am appalled that his or her "snickering" could be anything more than a misplaced post.
Perhaps it was simply snickering at anything Michael Eisner was promoting?
This is unfortunately very disturbing.
If I am misunderstanding your outlook, Testtrack, please straighten me out - perhaps you just misunderstood the tone of the original post.:(
 
Yo guys....I know I don't have much expertise on the subject because I didn't start watching the movie till tonight at 10 (cuz I knew there were gonna be no commercials, there was nothing on tv, and I have seen like 50 million Anne Frank movies) but the part that I saw was very good......within the first 5 minutes of watching it I was crying (yeah, I am a wimp haha)......and I must give a round of applause to ABC and Disney.......I think they might have exposed a whole new group of people to the horror of the Holocaust....
Later!
Kat

P.S. WAAYYY OT: The whole time I was watching it I kept on thinking of the Holocaust museum in DC....anybody else been?? its like an essential for a visitor to DC
 
...I truly don't understand why Testtrack321 didn't return to explain the "snicker" response.

What could there POSSIBLY be to "snicker" about in this message. I am disheartened.:(
 
I think we are all looking at this wrong. I am getting the feeling that testtrack just did not belive it was a real e-mail from Michael Eisner. I don't think they were laughing at the Anne Frank reference. Once again I just think they thought that it was a e-mail not really from Eisner. IMO
 
Testtrack321 turns 15 this September according to his profile. I think his response illustrates what has already been stated here by Val... The lack of historical knowledge by young people today.
 
I wish more teachers would spend more time teaching about the holocaust and other issues. I think that it becomes far too easy to shy away from the difficult and controversial topics and teach only the easy and PC stuff....however, we are not doing our students any good. You CAN teach topics without heavily influencing your students with your opinion- and that is what our frosh seminar at our college attempts to do. At the end of each semester, when we have dealt with issues of race, gender, social class and the environment, we ask our students to write an assessment of what their professors true views are on the various topics. Rarely can anybody actually figure out where we stand personally (we try and play devil's advocate to everything- make students defend what they believe using logical argumentation and not anger or weak arguments).

It is important that we create students who question and ask "what's the reason". Complacent students mean students who accept anything we say. I want a student in my class to ASK me- how I know what I know and where I got my information....I don't want a passive student just accepting what I say (of course, I want them to be NICE about it!)......

It is easy to just blame the students. But we teachers are as much to blame. Let's just hope that the next generation can finally "fix" things so we WON'T need to teach about these sensitive issues!
 
Let me explain someting here.
-First I am not prejucicial, hateful, nor neo-well, you know.
-Second I can only go online durring the weekends.
-Third I was snickering because this is the first time I saw someone PURPOUSLY bump their post up for attention.
-Fourth, I read Anne Frank this past fall.
-Fifth, for your info atlanta braves fan, I am very interested in history and very good in it too (I never got below a B in that class.) Also, I was orgigionaly from Cleveland so, CLEVELAND ROCKS!!!!!

I am sorry for the things going through your minds. I AM NOT MEAN!!!!!

I am also a "him" for your info...:( :( :( :( :( :mad: :mad: :mad: :eek: :eek: :eek: :( :( :(
 
TT, it's over and done with. I'm sure your apology will be accepted byall. Hey, mistakes happen and I'm sure a few people around here don't care for me or my sense of humor but we live learn!
:cool: :cool: :bounce: :cool: :cool:
 
Your apology is accepted. I'm surprised you weren't flamed harder considering the sensitive subject. Keep trying for that A. And remember the World Series of 1995.
 
TT, Don't worry and post away!! Just come back a little sooner next time and explain things. It's very hard to take away the right meaning of some posts. It is a HUGE drawback not to be able to see a smile or hear an inflection. I'm sure some take the friendly banter between DisDuck, Peter Pirate and me to be anything BUT friendly at times. But I can assure you that we all get along and sometimes privately e-mail each other. Now that Captain on the other hand, what a little slimy rotten...... ;)

Mister Pirate (seemed to work when AV used it)
I'm sure a few people around here don't care for me or my sense of humor
I can't think of any!!! :cool:
 

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