Helping or Harming?

Starting tonight, the contestants on "American Idol" will be getting vocal about global poverty. As part of its second annual telethon, "Idol Gives Back," the Fox talent show hopes to raise millions of dollars to alleviate poverty in the U.S. and Africa. Instead of competing for themselves, the stars are competing for charity. Corporate sponsors have agreed to donate a set amount to groups like Save the Children and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for every vote cast. While it's admirable that the show wants to help the poor, the organizations they are supporting certainly don't have the vote of the pro-life community. Although the word "children" appears in the name of almost every one, many are part of the who's who of worldwide abortion promoters. UNICEF has partnered with International Planned Parenthood for 30 years. If these celebrities want to stop the real suffering, they need to be transparent about where the funding is actually going. But even that task may prove difficult after Idol officials refused to disclose a formal report of last year's $76 million. According to the New York Times, millions of dollars have yet to be allocated by Idol from last year's telethon haul. If the show prompts your family to give, consider donating to an organization that shares your values not one that masks its radical agenda.

Source: FRC.