A pro-family group known for its high-profile crusades against indecency is facing criticism for airing a pornographic video on its website. The American Family Association is encouraging visitors to the site to watch footage of an extended teenage orgy. Some viewers say that they followed the AFA's instructions, believing that the "Without a Trace" video was about the rapture.
A perennial complainer against the FCC now faces complaints itself
By Russell D'Arby, Arts and Entertainment Correspondent
TUPELO, MS—When Marly Dirksen stumbled upon her husband Rich watching a pornographic video on the internet, he didn't blush with embarrassment and promise to seek counseling. In fact, the 42-year-old electrical engineer and father of two swore that he'd been doing nothing wrong. After all, to watch the teenage sex orgy Mr. Dirksen didn't have to visit an adult website specializing in teen sexual encounters. Instead, he found the footage on the homepage of the American Family Association, an organization that prides itself on standing up for traditional family values.
Busted
Mr. Dirksen says that he went to the AFA website in search of a form "thank you" letter to send to Bush education secretary Margaret Spellings. AFA is orchestrating a campaign of support for the new education chief after she stood tall against Buster, a cartoon rabbit accused of backing the homosexual agenda.
But instead of sending kudos to Spellings, Mr. Dirksen clicked on another AFA link and found himself watching teens having sex. "At first I wasn't sure what it was, so I had to watch it a few times," he says.
For her part, Mrs. Dirksen says that she is shocked that the AFA, one of the loudest voices in the current values crusade, would post a pornographic video on its website—and encourage members to watch it. "There were breasts exposed and thighs and things that you don't expect to see on a pro-family website. It's indecent and I think that they should take it down before another innocent visitor like my husband ends up watching it," says Mrs. Dirksen.
It is not clear how many AFA members have logged on to the site in recent days for the sole purpose of watching the teenage sex orgy footage.
Millions of members
AFA Online claims to be the largest pro-family action site in the country. According to the website, the organization has a membership of more than 2.4 million—and is rapidly growing. Members rely on AFA.net to find out up-to-the minute information on what corporations, television shows and cartoon characters the association is targeting for action.
The AFA maintains that stamping out pornography is a priority. Just last week, AFA chairman Don Wildmon sent a video message to members, confessing that while online to do research on SpongeBob SquarePants, he’d inadvertently found himself visiting a hardcore pornography website. Wildmon does not indicate whether the site he visited showed scenes of teenage sex orgies.
Without a trace
Cincinnati resident Ethel Walker says that she received the shock of her life when she viewed the video, called "Without a Trace." "I thought that because of the title it was going to be about the Rapture, and what it's going to be like here on earth when all the born-again believers in Jesus Christ are taken up before the Tribulation, just like it says in Thessalonians," says Walker.
The 53-year-old says that she was prepared for some nudity: "It's a well known fact that when we're summoned up to heaven, we'll be leaving our clothes behind." But the AFA video, says Walker, seemed excessive. "This was smut, pure and simple, and I don't understand why a Christian website would be broadcasting it to the world."
Seeing is believing
Despite the criticism of the Dirksens, Ethel Walker and others, the AFA is still encouraging visitors to its site to view the video. Visitors who watch the orgy are then asked to send a letter to the FCC describing what they saw.
"In one scenario," reads the AFA letter, "a girl sits astride a boy as they simulate sexual intercourse. The girl wears only a bra and panties, and another girl fondles both her and the boy."
For his part, Mr. Dirksen says he hasn't gotten around to sending the letter yet. "I read through the letter and I didn't remember that part about the bra and panties and the fondling, so I went back to check and make sure it was accurate."
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