Political Advocacy Groups

"The Alliance for Justice is a national association of environmental, civil rights, mental health, women's, children's and consumer advocacy organizations...the Alliance has worked to advance the cause of justice for all Americans, strengthen the public interest community's ability to influence public policy, and foster the next generation of advocates." (http://www.afj.org)

"The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is our nation's guardian of liberty, working daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." (http://www.aclu.org/about/aboutmain.cfm)

"The American Civil Rights Institute is a national civil rights organization created to educate the public about racial and gender preferences. Based in Sacramento, California, ACRI's initial focus is on three areas: assisting organizations in other states with their efforts to educate the public about racial and gender preferences, assisting federal representatives with public education on the issue, and monitoring implementation and legal action on California's Proposition 209." (http://www.acri.org)

Among other things, Americans United for Separation of Church and State "...advocates for separation of church and state in the U.S. Congress and state legislatures, working with lawmakers at all levels to help them understand the importance of respecting the separation of church and state..." (http://www.au.org/about/)

"Our vision is of a world in which every person - regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity - enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and other internationally recognized human rights standards." (http://www.amnestyusa.org/about-us/our-mission)

"Based in San Francisco, EFF is a donor-supported membership organization working to protect our fundamental rights regardless of technology; to educate the press, policymakers and the general public about civil liberties issues related to technology; and to act as a defender of those liberties." (http://www.eff.org)

"Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world." (http://www.hrw.org/about/)

"LCCR consists of more than 180 national organizations, representing persons of color, women, children, labor unions, individuals with disabilities, older Americans, major religious groups, gays and lesbians and civil liberties and human rights groups. Its mission: to promote the enactment and enforcement of effective civil rights legislation and policy."(http://www.civilrights.org/about/lccr/)

"Media Access Project (MAP), a non-profit, tax exempt, public interest telecommunications law firm, works to ensure that the electronic media and emerging technologies promote the first amendment goals of open civic discourse and a marketplace of ideas in order to safeguard democracy now and in the future. While technologies change, the importance of a well informed public and electorate does not." (http://www.mediaaccess.org)

"Our purpose is to meet the challenges of discord and fragmentation with an affirmation of "the American Way." By this, we mean pluralism, individuality, freedom of thought, expression and religion, a sense of community, and tolerance and compassion for others. People For the American Way will reach out to all Americans and affirm that in our society, the individual still matters; that there is reason to believe in the future - not to despair of it - and that we must strengthen the common cords that connect us as humans and citizens." (http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/ default.aspx?oid=2859)

"The Southern Poverty Law Center was founded in 1971 as a small civil rights law firm. Today, the Center is internationally known for its tolerance education programs, its legal victories against white supremacists and its tracking of hate groups." (http://www.splcenter.org/center/about.jsp)