THE new Archbishop of Canterbury found himself embroiled
in a row with the Disney Corporation yesterday, only hours after being
installed as the leader of the world’s 70 million Anglicans.
With
strong views on a range of subjects, including gay rights, women priests and
the bombing of Afghanistan, Dr Rowan Williams, 52, was always going to be a
controversial choice. As Archbishop of Wales, he was also the first clergyman
from outside the Church of England to fill the post.
But it
was a handful of comments critical of Disney, which were published in a book
two years ago and recycled yesterday, that attracted much of the attention.
In the
book, Lost Icons, Dr Williams singled out the US corporation as an example of
how companies had turned children into consumers.
He
wrote: "The perception of the child as consumer is clearly more dominant
than it was a few decades ago. The child is the (usually vicarious) purchaser
of any number of graded and variegated packages - that is, of goods designed to
stimulate consumer desires.
"A
relatively innocuous example is the familiar ‘tie-in’, the association of
comics, sweets, toys and so on with a new film or television serial; the Disney
empire has developed this to an unprecedented pitch of professionalism."
Dr Williams, who also used the book to criticise the premature sexualisation of
children by a consumer society, confessed he was "interested" to see
comments he had made two years previously brought back into the public domain.
But he
said: "I do have a very special concern about children, especially being a
parent of young children myself. I have given high priority to working with
schools and especially primary schools."
Disney,
which has already found itself under fire from religious groups in the US for a
variety of perceived sins, ranging from the cut of Pocohontas’s dress in the
cartoon film to an insurance deal for gay partners, was stung by the criticism.
One
company insider said: There are many examples where Disney doesn’t take the
money and run because we think that’s incompatible with what we stand for,
whereas another company perhaps would. I guess that if you are a pressure group
of two people and you say you are going to boycott Disney, it becomes a
headline immediately. At least he got his headline on the first day
anyway."
A Disney
spokesman said the company did not accept the archbishop’s criticism. He said:
"Since the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and the opening of
the first Disneyland theme park decades ago, Walt Disney’s vision was to
provide quality entertainment and experiences for parents and children to enjoy
together.
"We
are proud that, over seven decades, Disney has earned the trust and admiration
of millions. Community decency and optimism are the centrepiece of what the
Walt Disney Company strives to achieve in all that we create."
The
debate is just one of many heated issues in which Dr Williams has passed
comment, and his determination not to shy away from sensitive issues may lead
the Church into further rows. He has spoken out in favour of gay rights, women
priests and on the role of the government in various issues.
But
senior clergymen said the archbishop was seen as an intellectual whose liberal
opinions, mixed with conservative theological views, would help to unify the
Church.