Disney’s latest assault on America’s heroes? The entertainment giant’s NYC construction just caused $6 million in damage to a historic firefighter museum honoring 9/11 victims, threatening to shut it down permanently.

At a Glance

• The New York City Fire Museum faces permanent closure due to nearly $6 million in structural damage from Disney’s headquarters construction\
• The 120-year-old historic firehouse contains 30,000 firefighting artifacts and a memorial for 343 firefighters who died on 9/11
• Museum staff evacuated after hearing “a loud banging” and feeling the building shake during Disney’s construction
• The city plans to sue Disney’s contractors while the museum struggles financially after a year of closure
• Disney’s 22-story headquarters now threatens to permanently silence a tribute to American heroes

The House of Mouse Crushes a Tribute to American Heroes

Just when you thought the woke entertainment machine couldn’t sink any lower, Disney’s corporate expansion has managed to endanger a sacred memorial to America’s fallen heroes. While busy pushing their progressive agenda in children’s programming, Disney’s construction crews were apparently too preoccupied to notice they were literally shaking the foundation of American history. Their 22-story headquarters construction has left the New York City Fire Museum – home to irreplaceable 9/11 memorials – teetering on the brink of permanent closure after suffering catastrophic structural damage.

The museum has remained closed for nearly a year following what can only be described as corporate negligence of the highest order. Located in a historic 120-year-old firehouse that should be treated as a national treasure, this independently operated non-profit institution houses 30,000 artifacts chronicling the bravery of those who run toward danger while the rest of us flee. Most importantly, it contains a memorial to the 343 FDNY heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice on September 11, 2001 – apparently not important enough for Disney to protect.

A “Magic Kingdom” of Destruction

What exactly happened to this American institution? According to the staff who were there, Disney’s construction created such violent vibrations that it triggered an emergency evacuation. Museum Executive Director Patti Murphy recounted the harrowing experience: “They said they heard a loud banging, the building started to shake and then they said to me the floor felt soft.” That’s right – Disney’s construction literally made the floor beneath these irreplaceable artifacts of American sacrifice feel like it might collapse.

“We need immediate support. We’re a very small nonprofit, we’re a self-sustaining organization so our operations are pretty much in a dire position because we’ve been closed so long.”, says Patti Murphy.

The cruel irony in all this? The museum was actually anticipating increased visitation from tourists drawn to the new Disney building. Instead, Mickey Mouse and company have dealt them a potential death blow. The fiscal damage is catastrophic – the museum fell short of its revenue targets by about $200,000, taking in only $571,000 when it needed $772,000. Add in the $6 million needed for structural repairs, and you have a recipe for permanent closure of a national treasure.

Corporate Liability and Government Response

While Disney representatives claim they’re “collaborating” with the city to address the damage, New York officials aren’t waiting around for the corporate giant’s empty promises. The city plans to sue Hudson Square Realty and construction companies Skanska Inc. and Lendlease US Construction for the devastating damage. Meanwhile, predictably, the construction companies are playing hot potato with responsibility – Skanska claims they completed their work in 2020, while Lendlease and Hudson Square Realty have gone radio silent.

According to the Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh: “The Department will work with the museum and our partners in the public and private sector to make sure the collection remains open to the public for years to come.”

This is the kind of corporate irresponsibility that would make even the most hardened capitalist cringe. How can Disney, a company that rakes in billions annually while lecturing Americans about social justice, carelessly endanger a memorial to 343 American heroes who gave their lives on 9/11? The attack on our history and values couldn’t be more blatant if they tried. While we wait for the inevitable bureaucratic blame-shifting and legal wrangling, a priceless piece of American history hangs in the balance – another casualty of corporate America’s indifference to the very values and sacrifices that made their success possible.