Leaders ask Marriott to drop adult movies

April 3, 2008

Forty-seven pro-family leaders have asked the Marriott chain of hotels to stop making porn movies available in their guest rooms.

In a letter dated April 3 to CEO John W. Marriott III, the leaders asked for a meeting with Marriott to discuss the issue. “The cosigners of this letter are leaders of some of the largest pro-family organizations in America. On behalf of these groups, a few of our principals would appreciate the opportunity to meet with representatives from Marriott to discuss this matter further.”

The group said pulling the movies would be in keeping with Marriott’s public statement of “promoting the well-being of children and families” and Marriott’s stated stance against “…such tragedies as human trafficking and the exploitation of children.” Marriott has approximately 2,800 hotels in the U.S., and about 2,400 of them have in-room porn movies.

According to Donald E. Wildmon, chairman of the American Family Association, Marriott has not responded to the request.

In addition to Wildmon, other leaders include Dr. James Dobson, chairman of Focus on the Family; Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council; Dr. Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission; Bishop Harry Jackson, chairman of High Impact Leadership Council; and Robert Peters, president of Morality in Media.

Signers of the letter include the following:

Donald E. Wildmon
Chairman & CEO
American Family Association

James C. Dobson, Ph.D., Chairman & Founder
Focus on the Family

Tony Perkins, President
Family Research Council

Paul Weyrich, Chairman & CEO
Free Congress Foundation

Dr. Richard Land, President
Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

Bishop Harry Jackson, Chairman
High Impact Leadership Council

Alan Chambers, President
Exodus International

Dick Bott, President
Bott Radio Network

Phil Burress, President
Citizens for Community Values

Maurine Proctor, President
Family Leader Network

Rich Bott, Vice President
Bott Radio Network

Tom Shields, Chairman
Coalition for Marriage and Family

Bill Johnson, President
American Decency Association

Ron Shuping, Exec. VP of Programming
The Inspiration Networks

John Stemberger, President & General Counsel
Florida Family Policy Council

Micah Clark, Executive Director
American Family Association of Indiana

Diane Gramley, President
American Family Association of Pennsylvania

Gary Glenn, President
American Family Association of Michigan

David E. Smith, Executive Director
Illinois Family Institute

Doug Stiegler, Executive Director
Maryland Family Protection Lobby

Chris Hupke, President
South Dakota Family Policy Council

Kent Ostrander, Executive Director
The Family Foundation (Kentucky)

C. Preston Noell III, President
Tradition, Family, Property, Inc.

John Helmberger, CEO
Minnesota Family Council

Michael S. Heath, executive director
Christian Civic League of Maine

David Fowler, President
The Family Action Council of Tennessee, Inc.

Joe Ortwerth, Executive Director
Missouri Family Policy Council

Sharilee Guest
Founder, www.AmericaTakingAction.com
President, www.BrandMyBooks.com
President, www.LegaciesThatLast.com
Family Products, www.SimplyFUNdraisers.com

Mathew D. Staver, Founder and Chairman
Liberty Counsel

Karen Testerman, Executive Director
Cornerstone Policy Research

John L. Harmer, Chairman
The Lighted Candle Society

Dean Nelson, Executive Director
Network of Politically Active Christians

Dr. Carl Herbster, President
AdvanceUSA

Phillip Jauregui, President
Judicial Action Group

Robert Peters, President
Morality in Media

Matt Barber, Policy Director – Cultural Issues
Concerned Women for America

Len Deo, Founder & President
New Jersey Family Policy Council &
New Jersey Family First

Bobby Lloyd, Executive Director
Long Island Citizens for Community Values

Regina Griggs, Executive Director
Parents & Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays
(PFOX)

Carmen Pate, Co-Host
Point of View Radio Talk Show
IRN/USA Radio Network

Steven W. Fitschen, President
The National Legal Foundation

Dr. Rod D. Martin, Chairman
TheVanguard.Org

Chris Brown, Executive Vice President
National Federation of Republican
Assemblies

Gene Mills, CEO
Louisiana Family Forum

Steve Noble, Chairman
Called2Action

Cathi Herrod, President
The Center for Arizona Policy

Howard “Rusty” Leonard, President
Stewardship Partners