UCLA in Bed with The Heritage Foundation?

What does UCLA and the Boys and Girls Club have in common with anti-abortionists and the Heritage Foundation?

They all have been clients of Pursuant, a full service fundraising agency.

I was doing a little research on women’s reproductive rights when I came across a site called abortionhelpnow. (I haven’t given a link here because I don’t want to increase their traffic!)

It is one of those organizations that try to reach pregnant women who are seeking abortions by promising them abortion information and trying to convince them not to have abortions through graphic descriptions of aborted babies, horror stories of regretful women and by invoking the names of God and Satan. I find these tactic distasteful so I wanted to know a little bit more about this group.

Well, according to Whois, www.abortionhelpnow.com is owned by KMA Direct Communications. KMA Direct Communications performs direct response fundraising and media services to Christian ministries and conservative advocacy groups. “We resonate with the unique interests of faith-based organizations, and are committed to serving them with passion.”

In January of 2011, KMA was acquired by Pursuant Group, a full service fundraising and marketing communications consulting firm. KMA’s president Tom McCabe said the “two companies reflect a common vision and common values. I have a strong appreciation for the ‘heart’ connection that both companies have, as well as the passion we share to help the nonprofit sector grow dramatically.”

Together, Pursuant and KMA represents evangelical Christian ministries, right-wing interests including The Heritage Foundation whose mission is to “formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.”

Another Pursuant Group client includes the conservative christian company, Moody Radio “Where you Turn. For Life.” One of the station’s hosts is Janet Parshall. Parshall is known for her condemnation of abortion, morning after pills, condom use and homosexuality, calling them all Satan’s work. “…can you see how Satan has taken people captive?” she says in a lengthy diatribe you can read here, if you can bear it.

Should it make a difference to me if the Boys and Girls Club are clients of a company that also represents The Heritage Foundation? Should I think less of UCLA, Pepperdine, University of South Carolina, Arizona State University or Purdue because they chose to hire a company that represents conservative Christian organizations that espouse beliefs I find abhorrent? Should my opinion of the Pacific Science Center or the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra be influenced because they hired a company that also represents anti-abortionists?

I don’t really have enough insight into how a company chooses its fundraising and marketing representatives but I personally wouldn’t want to hire a company with strong ties to The Heritage Foundation or Moody Radio.