Bristol Palin is on Dancing with the Stars. Dancing with the Stars is on ABC, which is owned by Disney. Years ago I was told that “on the mouse” was a phrase used when Disney employees bought food for outsiders – that “lunch was on the mouse.” I’ve always liked the phrase and the attitude, so if you get lost, simply substitute Disney for Mouse and it should all work out.
Bristol, if you don’t remember, is the daughter of Sarah Palin, former governor of Alaska – former GOP VP candidate. Sarah was on the show, cheering for her daughter in week 2. Bristol and her dance partner flew north to Alaska and met with the Palin family, Bristol’s daughter neatly tucked away in the background.
Score one for the mouse. Bristol is charming and what you would expect from the oldest daughter of a powerful mother. Her answers are short and to the point. She’s trying really hard and it’s paying off. Sarah is beaming, watching her daughter grow right before her eyes. It’s a great moment. But even more than that, it puts the family in a different light. They’re human. For the mouse, this is huge. One of the underlying concepts of Disney is that “we are all in this together.” The mouse is all about gender, color, sexual orientation blinders. Everyone has value for the mouse. This concept makes it hard to divide rather than unite.
So how can Sarah go on the political trail and speak ill of others when here she sits, watching her daughter blossom, surrounded by the melting pot that is the United States? How can she preach to the angry white man when the truth is on TV, with her as a part, that e pluribus unum is right, and hate is wrong? How can Sarah look in the mirror now that she’s seen the power of community for her daughter?
While this might be good publicity for Sarah, as the softer hockey mom, the truth is that Sarah must now face the world as a moderate, an American mom, without malice and without the words “it’s their fault.” Score one for the mouse.