TUPELO, MS (AFA) – The American Family Association (AFA) has announced that a growing number of Holiday Inns are now discontinuing their in-room pornographic movie service, although the corporate headquarters still refuses to make an across-the-board policy to stop the films.

Recent motels advising AFA that they have pulled the porn movies include Holiday Inns in Warner-Robins, Georgia; Yakima, Washington; Palo Verde Plaza in Tucson, Arizona; and Culpeper, Virginia. In addition, AFA is getting calls regularly from local Holiday Inn managers wanting to know how to get out of their contract to show the movies.

The General Manager of one motel wrote: “It gives us great pleasure to announce that an agreement has been reached with COMSAT Video effective March 1, 1988, that discontinues the broadcasting of the movies in question. Please let me assure you that our company, John Q. Hammons, Inc., is committed to providing quality entertainment to our guests. As we have stated previously, the respect of the people of — is of paramount importance to us as well as Mr. Hammons. It is our intent to be an integral part of this city and state for many years to come, and we hope that we will be able to serve you in the future.”

Another General Manager wrote: “We are pleased to inform you that this Holiday Inn, as of March 15, l988, does not carry or show in-room porn movies and we wish to be placed on your list of those Holiday Inns not carrying the movies.”

AFA has been encouraging churches and Christian organizations to boycott Holiday Inns until a policy change is made concerning the pornography. Rev. Charles Horton, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Cheyenne, Oklahoma, recently wrote: “When the Elk City, Oklahoma Holiday Inn made an effort to host the District Convention of the Republican Party in our area, a United Methodist layman, David Tosney, of Roger Mills County, encouraged the convention to be held at an Oklahoma State Lodge instead.

“Quite concerned about the corrosive effects of pornography, Mr. Tosney told the group that Holiday Inn is the largest distributor of in-room pornography in the nation. The convention was held at the lodge!”

Dick Norton, Executive Director of the Metro Chicago Youth for Christ, recently wrote: “I wish to add my name to the list of those who have joined the protest against the Holiday Inn in-room porn movies. You may be interested to know that we recently rescheduled a 700-person banquet from the Holiday Inn in our area to another hotel because of your campaign.”

Far East Broadcasting Company wrote: “We have decided to pull all our banquets from Holiday Inns across the country which are carrying the ‘R-rated films intended for adults after 10:00 p.m.’ as described by Mr. Brannon of Holiday Inns.” This action will cost Holiday Inns $50,000 to $60,000 per year.

Local churches are asked to encourage their members to participate in the boycott and to write or call Holiday Inns to complain about the in-room porn movies, especially since Holiday Inns has stated publicly that very few Christians have complained.

The address is: Chrm. Michael Rose, Holiday Corporation, 1023 Cherry Road, Memphis, TN 38117. The phone number is 1-800-465-4329.