A personal plea from MUMP founder Karen J. Appino:
February 26, 2011
To our dedicated supporters,
Every year, millions of people disappear. That means at least 2,739.72 people go missing every day. One might expect, then, that the morning news would be flooded with reports of missing people.
Sadly, it's not.
The only missing persons' cases that make it to the front page or to primetime news are those that involve young, attractive (generally blond) women aged 16-30, or those involving adorable children. Even the online picture databases show signs of discrimination: The profiles of young light-haired women get 76% more hits than profiles of other missing persons. Every day, thousands of less attractive or aging men, women, and children go unnoticed by the media and internet users.
One might think that such shameful neglect would encourage the public to stop supporting all forms of media, but unfortunately, in spite of the obvious reasons to do so, very few seem willing to discontinue their newspaper, internet or television subscriptions.
And yet, something must be done. If you or someone you know has lost someone who has been declared a missing person, consider supporting Mothers of Unattractive Missing Persons* (MUMP). We are a network of family members of missing persons who are fighting for the equal representation in the media of all missing persons. Because of the current economic crisis, MUMP is, for the first time, facing heart-breaking budget cuts to vital programming and campaigning. Your support is more important than ever. To donate or to learn about volunteer opportunities, visit our website: www.mump.org.
In solidarity,
Karen J. Appino
Founder and President, Mothers of Unattractive Missing Persons
www.mump.org
*Though MUMP has always included all members of the family, including brothers, sisters, fathers, uncles, aunts, and grandparents, in May 2011, MUMP is officially changing its name to Family of Unattractive Missing Persons (FUMP). We feel such a change better reflects the inclusive spirit of MUMP.
