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Groups Defending Democracy and Diversity from Right-Wing Attack

This list of Groups Defending Democracy and Diversity from Right-Wing Attack was created to aid you in gathering information for organizing in your community.We have listed organizations that in some component of their work deal directly with and have resources about challenging the Right.These organizations either monitor and analyze right-wing groups or movements, are directly affected by and working against certain right-wing campaigns, or have published material on understanding and challenging sectors of the Right.National, regional and local organizations are all included in this list, as are groups working on single issues or on a broad range of social justice causes.While some organizations that are primarily online resources have been listed here, links to more online resources and directories are listed here – scroll down to the red “Links” icon.

As with many of our projects at PRA, this is a work in progress.We apologize for any oversights.Please email us at contact@politicalresearch.org with suggestions for changes, corrections or additions. If you are interested in connecting with social justice organizations defending democratic principles and practices, see our more extensive here.

American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee

4201 Connecticut Ave., NW, #300, Washington, DC 20008, 202/244-2990

National nonsectarian civil rights organization committed to defending the rights of people of Arab descent. Produces periodic reports on incidents of violence and the nature of anti-Arab prejudice. Publishes a bimonthly newsletter, the ADC Times.

American Civil Liberties Union

125 Broad St., 18th Floor, New York, NY 10004, 212/549-2500

National membership organization, many local chapters. Interested in the threat to civil liberties posed by aspects of the Religious Right, including school prayer, school vouchers, equal educational and employment opportunity (on the basis of sex, race, and national origin), reproductive freedom, welfare reform, pornography, the NEA, capital punishment, the war on drugs, and AIDS policy. Series of books on constitutional rights, some available in bookstores. Write for full list.

American Jewish Committee

Jacob Blaustein Building, 165 E. 56th St., New York, NY 10022, 212/751-4000

National membership organization with many local chapters and international offices.Protects the rights and freedoms of Jews the world over; combats bigotry and antisemitism. Examines rise of the Religious Right and the Far Right, especially armed militias.Publications and programs on hate on internet and talk radio; Christian Identity; militia movement; Holocaust denial; bigotry on campus; Louis Farrakhan. Original publisher of Commentary, a leading neoconservative publication now published independently.

American Jewish Congress

15 E. 84th St., New York, NY 10028, 212/879–4500

National membership organization with local chapters.Coordinated publication of instructive pamphlet: Religion in the Public Schools: A Joint Statement of Current Law endorsed by a wide range of religious and secular groups. Many other useful publications.

American Library Association

Intellectual Freedom Committee, 50 E. Huron, Chicago, IL 60611, 800/545-2433

Monitors censorship, school curricula, library protests, legal decisions. Frequently covers local campaigns by religious and political Right. Publishes Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom.

Americans for Religious Liberty

PO Box 6656, Silver Spring, MD 20916, 301/260-2988

Public interest educational organization with national scope dedicated to preserving the American tradition of religious, intellectual, and personal freedom in a secular, democratic state. Publishes a newsletter, the Voice of Reason. Several books and pamphlets available.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State

518 C St., NE, Washington, DC 20002, 202/466-3234

National membership organization. Several state and local chapters. Monitors the Religious Right and promotes church-state separation. Opposes public funding of parochial schools. Supports religiously neutral public education. Several pamphlets available on church/state topics, and packets of articles on the Religious Right in politics, and on school vouchers. Write for information. Resources include a monthly magazine, Church & State and a videotape, Religious Freedom: Made in the U.S.A.

Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith

823 UN Plaza, New York, NY 10017, 212/490-2525

Largest and most frequently cited resource on anti-Jewish bigotry and prejudice. National organization with many regional offices. Print and electronic media resources are extensive. Special reports on Skinheads, the Ku Klux Klan, Identity Churches, Liberty Lobby, LaRouche, and many other topics. Call for current availability and pricing. Publishes two newsletters, ADL On The Frontline and Law Enforcement Bulletin.

Applied Research Center

Applied Research Center, 3781 Broadway • Oakland, CA 94611, 510-653-3415, Fax: 510-653-3427
The Applied Research Center is a public policy, educational and research institute whose work emphasizes issues of race and social change. Publishes the magazine ColorLines.

Catholics for a Free Choice

1436 U St., NW, Ste. 301, Washington, DC 20009, 202/986-6093

Research, policy analysis, education, and advocacy on issues of gender equality and reproductive health.Many publications in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Excellent book on the Catholic Right, with updates.Works both nationally and internationally.

Center for Democratic Renewal

PO Box 50469, Atlanta, GA 30302, 404/221-0025

Community-based coalition fighting hate group activity. Has numerous local affiliates. Write for complete resource list. Every civil rights or human relations office should have a copy of the handbook When Hate Groups Come to Town to provide a ready response to incidents of hate-motivated violence or intimidation. Extensive list of publications.

Center for Media and Democracy

520 University Ave. #301, Madison, WI 53703, 608/260-9713

Nonprofit, public interest organization dedicated to investigative reporting on the public relations industry. Serves journalists, researchers and others seeking to recognize and combat manipulative and misleading PR practices. Publishes an excellent newsletter, PRWatch.

Center for New Community

PO Box 346066, Chicago, IL 60634, 708/848-0319

A faith-based, rural-urban initiative with a mission to revitalize congregations and communities for genuine social, economic, and political democracy. The Center's "Building Democracy" project is aimed at countering far-right, antidemocratic movements in the Midwest, and is carried out through monitoring activities, and education and organizing initiatives.

Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, California State University, 5500 University Parkway, San Bernardino, CA 92407

National research and policy center that examines the ways that bigotry, advocacy of extreme methods, or the use of terrorism deny civil or human rights to people on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability or other relevant status characteristic. Seeks to aid scholars, community activists, government officials, law enforcement, the media and others with objective information to aid them in their examination and implementation of law and policy.

Citizens Project

PO Box 2085, Colorado Springs, CO 80901, 719/520-9899

Researches the Religious Right, especially in Colorado. Took a strong stand in exposing theocratic bigotry behind Colorado's Amendment 2. Publishes a newsletter, Freedom Watch.

Clearinghouse on Environmental Advocacy and Research (CLEAR)

503/236-8788, eheaden@earthlink.net, Archive of old website at www.ewg.org/pub/home/clear/clear.html

Works to expose corporate agenda of the Wise Use Movement. Currently exists as an email newsletter, A Clear View. To subscribe send email to: list_requests@c-t-g.com and type "subscribe CLEAR_View" in body of message.

DataCenter

1904 Franklin St., Ste. 900, Oakland, CA 94612, 800/735-3741

Research by contract into a variety of topics with special expertise in corporations and current political issues. Serves organizations throughout the country.Large collection of clippings and specialized computer skills for searching electronic databases. Write for complete resource list.

Equal Partners in Faith

2026 P St., NW, Washington, DC 20026, 202/296-4672 x14

A national coalition of clergy and faith-based activists committed to equality among all people concerned about the Promise Keepers' use of Christian teachings to create a divisive and potentially dangerous message. Copublisher with Political Research Associates and the Center for Democracy Studies of Challenging the Promise Keepers: An Organizer's Information Packet. Also copublished Challenging the Ex-Gay Movement with PRA and National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

Facing History and Ourselves

16 Hurd Rd., Brookline, MA 02445, 617/232-1595

Publishes high school curricula on the Holocaust, slavery, Armenian genocide, and theory of prejudice and violence. Addresses a broad range of human rights issues.

Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR)

130 W. 25th St., New York, NY 10001, 212/633–6700

National mediawatch group.Publishes Extra!, a bimonthly magazine that examines biased reporting, censored news, media mergers, press/state cronyism, the power of corporate owners and advertisers, and right-wing influences in the media. Write for publications list.

Feminist Majority Foundation

1600 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 801, Arlington, VA 22209, 703/522-2214 (voice), 703/522-2219 (fax)
433 S. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90212, 310/556-2500, 310/556-2509 (fax)
E-mail: femmaj@feminist.org
Large multi-focus feminist organization with one of the most elaborate resource collections available on the Web. Describes itself as: "dedicated to women's equality, reproductive health, and non-violence. In all spheres, FMF utilizes research and action to empower women economically, socially, and politically. Our organization believes that feminists - both women and men, girls and boys - are the majority, but this majority must be empowered."

The Fight the Right Network

PO Box 2084, Philadelphia, PA 19103-0084, 215/389-1400

A regional organization that has various projects that work to oppose “the political ascendancy of theocrats and fascists.”

Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)

248 W. 35th St., 8th Floor, New York, NY 10001, 800/GAYMEDIA

8455 Beverly Blvd., Ste. 305, Los Angeles, CA 90048, 323/658-6775

National organization that promotes fair, accurate, and inclusive representation of individuals and events in all media as a means of challenging homophobia and all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Publishes a newsletter: GLAAD Bulletin.

Gustavus Myers Center

Simmons College, 300 The Fenway, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, 617-521-2171
A major purpose of the Myers Center is the review and identification of outstanding books written each year about discrimination and bigotry, and ways to develop equitable future communities and societies. Publishers and readers are invited to nominate books published in each preceding year. A list of outstanding books is developed, and the winners of the Gustavus Myers Award announced on Human Rights Day, December 10th, each year.

Highlander Center

1959 Highlander Way, New Market, TN 37820, 865/ 933-3443, Fax: 865/933-3424
The Highlander Center is a residential popular education and research organization. Since 1932, Highlander has gathered workers, grassroots leaders, community organizers, educators, and researchers to address the most pressing social, environmental and economic problems facing the people of the South. Highlander sponsors educational programs and research into community problems, as well as a residential Workshop Center for social change organizations and workers active in the South and internationally.

Holocaust Survivors & Friends in Pursuit of Justice

800 New Loudon Rd., #400, Latham, NY 12110, 518/785-0035

Publishes materials refuting Holocaust deniers and “historical revisionists.” Coordinates survivor lectures and exhibits.Provides services mostly to upstate New York.

Independent Media Institute

77 Federal St., San Francisco, 2nd Floor , CA 94107, 415/284–1420

National electronic news service and information clearinghouse for editors, journalists, and activists on the myriad aspects of the Culture War, particularly attacks on freedom of expression.

Institute for Democracy Studies

177 East 87th St., Ste. 501, New York, NY 10128, 212/423-9237

The Institute for Democracy Studies is a nonprofit, tax-exempt research and educational center devoted to the study of antidemocratic religious and political movements and organizations in the United States and internationally.Has programs on Law and Democracy, Religion and Democracy and Reproductive Rights and Democracy.

Institute for First Amendment Studies (Organization is gone, but web archive remains)

No longer active, the website is still worth mining for information. Tracked the Religious Right and covered separation of church and state issues. Reliable expertise on Religious Right and Christian Reconstructionism. Published the Freedom Writer, archived online.

Institute for the Study of Academic Racism at Ferris State University

PO Box 510, Big Rapids, MI 49307, 231/591-3612

A nonprofit educational foundation that monitors academic racism and serves as a resource center for scholars, legislators, civil rights organizations, and journalists.Mostly an online resource.

The Interfaith Alliance

1012 14th St., NW, Ste. 700, Washington, DC 20005, 202/639-6370

National alliance of religious leaders concerned about the narrow vision of the Religious Right. Promotes positive role of faith as a healing and constructive force in public life.

Institute for Public Accuracy

65 Ninth St., Ste. 3, San Francisco, CA 94103, 415/552-5378

Challenges the assertions of right-wing think tanks like the Heritage Foundation which have enormous impact on news coverage and political discourse in the United States. A nationwide consortium, IPA has a roster of 200 researchers and analysts, serves as a resource for media professionals, and helps bring other voices to the mass-media table by building communication with alternative media outlets and grassroots activists.

Montana Human Rights Network

PO Box 1222, Helena, MT 59624, 406/442-5506

Frontline human rights group in the heart of militia country. Coordinates Montana Youth Action Network. Publications include, two quarterlies: Network News and Newsflash, and a compilation of essays by progressive leaders in Montana, Provacateur.

National Campaign for Freedom of Expression

1429 G St., NW PMB #416, Washington, DC 20005-2009, 202/393-2787

Focuses on challenges to artistic expression. Published A Guide for Understanding, Preparing for, and Responding to Challenges to Freedom of Artistic Expression.Publishes the NCFE Bulletin quarterly.

National Center for Human Rights Education

P.O. Box 311020, Atlanta, Georgia 31131, 404-344-9629
Provides educational programs for community groups, nonprofit organizations, schools and universities, helping individuals to appraise their efforts in the context of the global human rights standards.

National Center for the Pro-Choice Majority

PO Box 1315, Hightstown, NJ 08520, 609/443-8780

Works for reproductive freedom. Monitors the actions and the individuals who are engaged in harassment and intimidation of abortion providers and the women who need their services. Provides resources to providers and to the prochoice community in an effort to responsively educate the public, legislators, law enforcement personnel, and the media.

National Coalition Against Censorship

275 Seventh Ave., 20th Floor, New York, NY 10001, 212/807-6222

Alliance of religious, educational, professional, artistic, labor and civil rights groups that works to educate about the dangers of censorship and how to oppose it. Publishes a newsletter, Censorship News.

National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy

2001 S St., NW Ste. 620, Washington, DC 20009, 202/387-9177

Seeks to make philanthropy more responsive to people with the least wealth, more open and accountable and more relevant to critical public needs.Published an excellent study titled Moving a Public Policy Agenda: the Strategic Philanthropy of Conservative Foundations which documents the role and work that key institutions and groups have played in developing the institutional base of U.S. conservatism. Publishes a quarterly newsletter, NCRP News.

National Conference for Community and Justice

475 Park Ave. S., 19th Floor, New York, NY 10016-6901, 212/206-0006

Formerly National Conference of Christians and Jews. A nonprofit human relations organization with 65 regional offices dedicated to fighting bias, bigotry and racism. Focuses on interreligious affairs, youth and education, workplace and community relations programs. Resource materials on multicultural education, interreligious relations, and citizenship/pluralism.

National Education Association

1201 16th St., NW, Washington, DC 20036, 202/833-4000

The largest teachers union in the United States.Maintains an active Human and Civil Rights Committee.Write for information about resources on combating censorship in schools.

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF)

1700 Kalomara Rd., NW, Washington, DC 20009, 202/332-6483

Progressive national gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender organization. Along with advocacy at the national level, NGLTF supports state and local activists through its field program. Publishes a number of organizing resources for activists and holds Creating Change, a national annual conference for GLBT activists. Provides policy analysis through its think tank, the Policy Institute.

Northwest Coalition for Human Dignity (Currently Inactive)

The Pennsylvania Alliance for Democracy

300 N Second St., Ste. 906, Harrisburg, PA 17108-3056

A regional alliance engaging in promoting democratic values, including respect for a diverse society, separation of church and state, and individual rights as guaranteed in the Constitution.

People Against Racist Terror

PO Box 1055, Culver City, CA 90232, 310/495-0299

Produces reports with a radical analysis of racism, white supremacy, police abuse, anti-Jewish and anti-Arab activity, and fascism that feature substantial research and an accessible style. Opposes colonialism and supports efforts to free political prisoners.Publishes a newspaper, Turning the Tide: Journal of Anti-Racist Action, Research & Education.Previous reports have been collected in the book White Lies White Power: The Fight Against White Supremacy & Reactionary Violence by Michael Novick.The southern CA affiliate, and western regional contact of the Anti-Racist Action Network.

People for the American Way

2000 M St., NW, Ste. 400, Washington, DC 20036, 202/467-4999, 800/326-7329

National political action committee.Conducts research, legal and educational work on Religious Right and its allies. Has several reports and press releases on the rise of the Religious Right and homophobic campaigns. Resources include a newsletter, Right-Wing Watch and a videotape, The Religious Right, Then and Now. Extensive publications list.

Political Research Associates

1310 Broadway, Ste. 201, Somerville, MA 02144, 617/666-5300

Independent research center that monitors and analyzes the U.S. political right.Extensive twenty-year file and publication archive on right-wing movements ranging from New Right to white supremacist groups. Publishes a periodical, The Public Eye. Extensive publications list.

The Prejudice Institute

2743 Maryland Ave., Baltimore, MD 21218, 410/366-9456

A national center with a comprehensive approach to the problems of prejudice and intergroup conflict. Conducts research, consultation, training, education, and operates a clearinghouse for information on current events and model programs of prejudice reduction, prevention, and response. Publishes a newsletter, Perspectives.

ProChoice Resource Center

16 Willett Ave., Port Chester, NY 10573, 914/690-0938, 800/733-1973

Helps grassroots organizations in their fight for reproductive freedom in the United States. Provides prochoice activists with on-site trainings, technical assistance, publications, and links to local and national prochoice activities. Publishes ProChoice IDEA: How Grassroots Fought the Opposition—and Won.

Project Tocsin

6521 Capital Circle, Sacramento, CA 95828, 916/381-3115

Tracks the political activities of the Religious Right in California. Publishes a variety of materials on Christian dominionism and reconstructionism. Also tracks funding of right-wing political candidates.

Public Good Project

PO Box 28547, Bellingham, WA 98228, 360/734-6642

A research and education project working in the Northwest that focuses on conflicts where democratic values are being challenged.

Rethinking Schools

1001 East Keefe Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53212, 414/964-9646

A nonprofit, independent newspaper with a national scope advocating the reform of elementary and secondary schools. Emphasis on urban schools and issues of equity and social justice. Published by teachers and educators with contributing writers from around the country. Other publications include: Rethinking Schools: An Agenda for Change, Rethinking Columbus, Rethinking Our Classrooms, and Classroom Crusades: Responding to the Religious Right's Agenda for Public Schools.

Right Web

Right Web explores the many ties that link the right-wing movement's main players, organizations, corporate supporters, educational institutions, and government representatives to each other in a new architecture of power. By establishing Right Web, the Interhemispheric Resource Center (IRC), which for 25 years has worked “to make the U.S. a more responsible global leader and global partner,” hopes to add to the growing national movement of concerned citizens who are working to check the rightward drift of the country.

RWWatch

A project of Organizers' Collaborative (www.organizenow.net).A low-traffic email forum that responds to right-wing campaigns to misrepresent the truth in order to undermine democracy.To subscribe send a blank email to: rwwatch-subscribe@topica.com.

Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS)

130 West 42nd St., Ste. 350, New York, NY 10036-7802, 212/819-9770

National organization dedicated to affirming that sexuality is a natural and healthy part of life.Develops, collects, and disseminates information, promotes comprehensive education, and advocates the right of individuals to make responsible sexual choices.Projects have been launched to help communities fight attacks on sexuality education.

Simon Wiesenthal Center

1399 South Roxbury, Los Angeles, CA 90035, 800/900-9036

International Jewish human rights organization. Extensive collection on the Holocaust and the dynamics of prejudice. Write or see website for complete resource list. Library open to the public.

South End Press

7 Brookline St. #1, Cambridge, MA 02139, 617/547-4002, 800/533-8478 (for book orders only)

Collective nonprofit progressive publisher with more than 200 titles in print. Titles include: Spiritual Warfare: The Politics of the Christian Right, by Sara Diamond; Eyes Right! Challenging the Right Wing Backlash, edited by Chip Berlet; The Coors Connection: How Coors Family Philanthropy Undermines Democratic Pluralism, by Russ Bellant; Old Nazis, The New Right, and the Republican Party: Domestic Fascist Networks and U.S. Cold War Politics, by Russ Bellant. Call or see website for complete catalogue of publications.

Southerners on New Ground (SONG)

PO Box 3912, Louisville, KY 40201, 502/896-2070

Seeks to place lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender organizing in an antiracist, class conscious framework. Integrates work against homophobia into freedom struggles in the south. Provides information for house meetings on the Right, participatory workshops on the economy, and publishes a journal, SONG.

Southern Poverty Law Center

400 Washington Ave., Montgomery, AL 36104, 334/264–0286

National organization.Combats hate, intolerance and discrimination through education and litigation.Has developed a Teaching Tolerance curriculum. Monitors militia and antigovernment groups and has close relationship with government law enforcement agencies. Publishes a newsletter on hate groups, Intelligence Report.

State Historical Society of Wisconsin

Periodicals Collection, 816 State St., Madison, WI, 53706, 608/264-6400

Has large microfilm collection of obscure periodicals, including impressive resources on the political Right and Religious Right.

Texas Freedom Network

PO Box 1624, Austin, Texas 78767, 512/322-0545

A statewide, nonprofit, nonpartisan alliance that includes over 7500 religious and community leaders.Works to counter the growing social and political influence of Religious Right in Texas.

Wisconsin Research Center

PO Box 510051, Milwaukee, WI 53203, 414/272-9984

An information clearinghouse on the Right in Wisconsin. Publishes a quarterly newsletter and maintains a cross-referenced database containing 20,000 documents, which are available to the public on request.

The Women’s Project

2224 Main St., Little Rock, AK 72206, 501/372-5113, wproject@aol.com

Focuses on political organizing and strategy. Back issues of newsletter have excellent articles on Religious Right. Publishes a quarterly newsletter, Transformation. Also published In the Time of the Right by Suzanne Pharr; Homophobia: A Weapon of Sexism also by Suzanne Pharr; Resource Manual for Women in Arkansas; and Handbook for Victims of Hate Violence. Offers technical assistance on grant writing and organization development to nonprofits. State and regional focus but excellent model.

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