Pro-Family Group Condemns Helen Keller Foundation's Partnership with Porn Merchants
by Allie Martin
April 13, 2004
(AgapePress) - The American Family Association (AFA) is blasting the Helen Keller Foundation for its partnership with a pornography merchant for profit. The pro-family group is outraged that the foundation inspired by and dedicated to the legacy of one of America's most beloved advocates for the disabled has aligned itself with Movie Gallery, America's leading pornographic video retail outlet.The Helen Keller Foundation for Research and Education agreed to enter into a partnership with the video rental chain and to accept donations from Movie Gallery customers as part of the "Be a Star" campaign.
The organization's mission to prevent blindness and deafness was inspired by its namesake, a blind and deaf international spokeswoman renowned for her humanity, courage, and compassion. But now its deal with a Movie Gallery has many people wondering how long the Foundation will turn a blind eye to pornography profiteers and a deaf ear to pro-family advocates' concerns.
Some time ago, AFA called for a boycott of Movie Gallery when the company refused to close more than 400 hard-core sex video galleries across the United States. Now the pro-family group is calling on the Helen Keller Foundation to reevaluate its decision to accept money from the company while it continues to profit from porn.
But AFA's special projects director Randy Sharp says the Foundation "evidently has no problem with taking money from known pornographers." He notes that AFA contacted the nonprofit organization twice to schedule a private meeting to discuss the group's concerns. However, he says the Foundation's officials never responded.
"We can only assume that they don't care where their money comes from as long as they get money to fund their Foundation. In this case, it's coming from pornographers," Sharp says.
The AFA spokesman feels the Helen Keller Foundation, in partnering with Movie Gallery, is placing a higher value on money than on the welfare of families. He says there is no significant difference between accepting money from pornographers and accepting money from drug dealers because "the results of pornography and drug use are devastating to the American family."
Sharp also notes that Movie Gallery's chairman, Joe Malugen, is a member of the Foundation board of directors, which could factor into the Foundation's failure to respond to the pro-family group's concerns. AFA's special projects director says Malugen and his company have made a fortune selling and renting pornographic videos that solicit men to cheat on their families.
Clearly, Sharp says, the Helen Keller Foundation places a higher importance on money than on the welfare of wives and children. AFA is encouraging concerned individuals to write letters or send e-mail to the foundation expressing disappointment with its decision to partner with Movie Gallery.
