I doubt Hellen Keller would aprove
Wednesday, April 14, 2004

The Helen Keller Foundation for Research and Education
Laura Beckwith
1201 11th Avenue South, Suite 300
Birmingham, Alabama, USA 35205
(860) 306-2496 (tel)
(617) 536-0352 (fax)
lbeckwith@helenkellerfoundation.org

Dear Mrs. Beckwith,

This letter has been sent to you via e-mail, postal mail, and has been posted to my website in hopes that it will gain attention. I am a father of 2 girls and am very concerned about the world they will grow up in. It troubles me very much that you have chosen to partner with ?Movie Gallery? in efforts to raise money. The adult film industry, if you didn?t know, employs women and men to perform in a kind of legal prostitution. They are paid to have sexual intercourse with multiple partners in manners too defile for me to mention. These videos are then sold to primarily married men, soliciting them to cheat on their families. The adult industry is also guilty of soliciting younger than legal clients in hopes of ?hooking? them when they are young. These actions are deadly to America?s youth. I ask that when you are looking for a partner to raise funds for your organization, you choose a partner that does less damage to the American family. The following facts support what I have told you.

? The U.S. Customs Service estimates that there are more than 100,000 websites offering child pornography - which is illegal, worldwide (Red Herring Magazine, 1/18/02)

? At least 200,000 Internet users are hooked on porn sites, X-rated chat rooms or other sexual materials online (MSNBC/Stanford/Duquesne Study, Associated Press [Online], Feb. 29, 2000).

? According to a U.S. News and World Report article, the porn industry recently took in more than $8 billion in one year. More than all revenues generated by rock and country music, more than America spent on Broadway productions, theater, ballet, jazz and classical music combined.

? Laboratory studies have showed that viewing violent pornographic films can increase aggression against women.

? A 1986 Women's Day survey of 6,000 readers found that 21% of women that were sexually abused knew the person who abused them was heavily into pornography.

? It is believed that 70% of women involved in pornography are survivors of incest or child sexual abuse.

? Although early sexual activity may be caused by a variety of factors, the media are believed to play a significant role. The media also represent the most easily remediable influence on young people and their sexual attitudes and behaviors. (AAP statement, January 2001)

? One recent study found that a child exploring the Internet may be trapped in an adult site by a new marketing technique that disables options such as the "back," "exit," or "close" navigation buttons. (AAP statement, January 2001)


I hope that in future efforts to give people sight, you will think about how your partners will encourage them to use it.

Sincerely,

KNWahl