A number of GOP lawmakers have co-signed a letter written by Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C.
Duncan has demanded that Disney’s CEO explain why an episode of ”The Simpsons” that includes a joke about the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre was pulled from the Disney+ streaming service in Hong Kong.
”We are deeply concerned by the apparent decision of Disney to scrub history on behalf of the Communist tyrants in Beijing, even in a satirical environment like ‘The Simpsons,”’ Duncan wrote in his letter to Disney chief executive Bob Chapek.
”This deplorable action raises serious questions of yet another American company undermining American principles at the apparent demand of the CCP [Chinese Communist Party],” the letter stated.
According to the New York Post, some users of the streaming service noticed that every episode of every season appeared on the platform except one. In episode 12 of the 16th season, the Simpson family visits China. While making a stop at Tiananmen Square, they are greeted by a plaque that reads, ”on this site, in 1989, nothing happened.”
Duncan’s letter asked if Chinese officials reviewed footage from the show before streaming.
”If yes,” the letter reads, ”please identify when you provided the CCP the ability to scrub your content [or] to make censorship decisions. If no, did Disney self-censor this episode? Why?”
Further down, the letter presses if the Chinese government threatened a ”shutdown or slowdown of operations at Shanghai Disneyland” if the media conglomerate didn’t pull the episode. It also asks if people in Taiwan would be able to view the episode.
”Do you publicly acknowledge that the Tiananmen Square Massacre did occur and there was significant loss of life at the hands of the Chinese government?” the letter continues. ”What commitments are you willing to make to fight Chinese censorship when it comes to covering up past atrocities at the hands of the Chinese government?”
