Fighting the Right A number of groups keep tabs on the Radical Right. Some of the groups monitor anti-freedom activities, others advocate for equal rights in the courts, others are media-watchers or media experts, but they all defend our Constitutional rights from those who would take them away. The strongest of the all the Radical Right's allies are indifference and ignorance in the general American population. They count on that, revel in it, thrive on it, and exploit it in every possible way. Their more extreme, covert elements do everything in their power to spread lies and disinformation and to appeal to the most animal instincts of aggression and paranoia in a society that is too often confused about racial, religious, gender-based and sexual equality and pluralism. The most effective antidote to the virulent viruses of hatred and bigotry is information: the truths that expose the philosophy of theocracy, the charade of pseudo-Christianity and the malignancy of hatred masquerading as "family values." These are groups which have answered the call of duty and who keep tabs on the Radical Right. Some of these groups monitor, other take the fight to the courts, or to the airwaves...but they all defend our Constitutional rights from those who would take them away. The American Civil Liberties Union http://www.aclu.org/ The mission of the ACLU is to assure that the Bill of Rights -- amendments to the Constitution that guard against unwarranted governmental control -- are preserved for each new generation. Issues addressed by the ACLU include separation of church and state, criminal justice, cyber-liberties, the death penalty, free speech, HIV/AIDS issues, immigrants' rights, lesbian and gay rights, national security, racial equality, reproductive rights, students' rights, voting rights, women's rights and workplace rights. Americans United for the Separation of Church and State http://www.au.org/ The Constitution mandates it. Most Americans believe in it. But today it is under threat as never before. Church-state separation stands as one of the foundations of our country. Because of it, Americans enjoy unparalleled religious liberty and nurture one of the most vital religious communities in the world. Separation guarantees you the freedom to worship or not to worship as you choose. But today, powerful religious leaders and misguided politicians have joined forces to undercut the First Amendment. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation http://www.glaad.org GLAAD is a national organization with five national offices, seven founding chapters and more than a score of monitoring affiliates throughout the United States. One of their primary goals is promoting fair, accurate and inclusive representation of the lesbian and gay communities in the media and commenting either positively or negatively on it through press releases, publications and GLAAD-Net, their automated mailing list. The Human Rights Campaign http://www.hrcusa.org/ Formerly known as the Human Rights Campaign Fund, the HRC has a simple goal: "The Human Rights Campaign envisions an America where lesbian and gay people are ensured of their basic equal rights -- and can be open, honest and safe at home, at work, and in the community." It is the U.S.'s largest political organization working to secure equal rights for lesbian and gay people. It helps with campaigns and voter issues nationwide. The Interfaith Working Group http://www.libertynet.org/~iwg/ The IWG believes that the characterization of religion as inherently conservative, and the subsequent portrayal of social debates as disagreements between the religious and the non-religious undermine faith in religious institutions and the ideal of religious diversity. Its mission is to inform the public of the diversity of religious opinion on social issues where it is not widely recognized by providing a voice and a forum for religious organizations, congregations and clergy who support gay rights, reproductive freedom, and the separation of church and state. The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission http://www.iglhrc.org/ The IHLHRC was founded in 1990 to fill the gap between the international human rights movement and the gay rights movement, neither of which fully addressed human rights violations against sexual minorities. The IGLHRC advocates for a world in which the fundamental human rights of gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered people, and people with HIV and AIDS are respected and accorded the protection of international human rights law. Institute for First Amendment Studies http://www.ifas.org/ IFAS is a non-profit educational and research organization focusing solely on the activities of the radical Religious Right. Their home page contains a wealth of information on the Religious Right, focused is on reproductive rights, gay rights, censorship, education, law, politics, religion, televangelists, and church/state issues. Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund http://www.lambdalegal.org/ The LLDEF is a national organization committed to achieving the full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, and people with HIV/AIDS through impact litigation, education, and public policy work. The group carries out its legal work principally through test cases selected for the likelihood of their success in establishing positive legal precedents that will affect lesbians, gay men, and people with HIV/AIDS. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force http://www.ngltf.org This large and diverse organization works to eliminate prejudice, violence, and injustice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people at the local, state, and national level, especially through grassroots organizing. As part of a broader movement for freedom, justice and equality, NGLTF works to create a world that respects and celebrates the diversity of human expression and identity and where all people may fully participate in society. An exciting new feature is the Capitol Gains database, a searchable, fully indexed guide to gay politicians and legislation in every state and on the national level. Parents, Family, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays http://www.pflag.org http://www.critpath.org/pflag-talk PFLAG is a large international groups that promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian and bisexual and transgendered persons, their families and friends through: support, to cope with an adverse society; education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination and to secure equal civil rights. PFLAG works for equality by showing what true "family values" are made of. People for the American Way Foundation http://www.pfaw.org People For the American Way opposes the Radical Right's agenda of division and fearmongering, and advocates for fundamental American values like opportunity, equal justice under the law, individual liberty and respect and hope to all its citizens. PFAW seeks to engage more Americans in civic and political action, to defend and strengthen vital institutions like the public education system and public broadcasting system and to protect individual and religious liberties. The national office maintains an extensive research and video library of resources on Radical Right political groups and leaders and offers detailed information at its web site. Political Research Associates http://www.igc.apc.org/pra/ PRA provides a rich compendium of articles, links to web sites, and related information on a wide range of retrogressive social phenomena, including the Radical Right, the militia movement, censorship, propaganda, repression, racism and xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and homophobia. Simon Wiesenthal Center http://www.wiesenthal.com/ The Simon Wiesenthal Center is an international center for Holocaust remembrance and the defense of human rights and the Jewish people. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the Center's mandate is a unique combination of social action, public outreach, scholarship, education and media projects as it imparts the lessons of the Holocaust and develops educational strategies for teaching tolerance. The web site provides a wealth of resources that are highly pertinent to countering right-wing and crypto-fascist political lies. Southern Poverty Law Center http://www.splcenter.org The SPLC combats hate, intolerance and discrimination through education and litigation. Located in Montgomery, Alabama, the Center is known for its years of courtroom accomplishments, legal victories against white supremacist groups, monitoring of hate activity across the country, national tolerance education and the Civil Rights Memorial. The Center was founded in 1971 by Morris Dees and Joe Levin, two Southern lawyers who shared a commitment to racial equality. The Interfaith Alliance http://www.tialliance.org/ The Interfaith Alliance is a mainstream ecumenical organization dedicated to promoting the positive role of religion as a healing and constructive force in public life. They work to fight the radical right and support a diverse and tolerant America.