Defending Dissent Foundation

Been a supporter since their NCARL days (National Committee Against Repressive Legislation), helping to stop S.1 (predecessor to the Patriot Act).

DDF gets to the core of civil liberties issues. I've worked with them for over 40 years and their focus is consistently on the long-term protection of the Bill of Rights.

The Defending Dissent Foundation is a critically important institution in the civil liberties sphere. Defending freedoms of speech, assembly and the press is, of course, necessary, but just as important is defending the right to dissent. Defending Dissent understands it is not the constitutionally protected speech and actions of those we agree with that need to be protected, it's the views of those who challenge and upset the ruling powers and status quo. Defending Dissent has a storied history of taking up the cause of dissidents, and I am proud to be a board member and supporter.

One of the features I volunteer to help with as a Board member is to build DDF's online Civil Liberties Hall of Fame. http://www.defendingdissent.org/fame/ DDF does so much more. It has a real commitment to explaining not just the right to dissent but the fact that a healthy democracy requires dissent and debate in order to function properly as a free society. We help build coalitions to defend dissent across the political spectrum.

Defending Dissent, has a long history of struggle for justice, from its grandparent group, the Natl Committee Against Repressive Legislation, which helped to defeat the House Unamerican Activities Committee, to First Amendment Foundation. In its present life, Defending Dissent is a most vital and indispensable organization at a time when this nation faces perhaps its most difficult, in defense of civil liberties, working both with sister organizations and lobbying effectively on the hill.I am proud, as a board member, to be part of this most energetic, resourceful and courageous organization.

Defending the right to political dissent (telling the government when we disagree) is the most basic predicate to a free society. The Defending Dissent Foundation, and it's predecessor entities, have been doing this superbly since 1960.

It is my honor and privilege to serve as a board member with the Defending Dissent Foundation, a crucial organization in protecting political and free-speech rights in the United States. DDF is a small but indispensable contributor to American democracy, freedom and constitutional liberty.

Defending Dissent Foundation is engaging activists to respond to critical civil liberties of the day. Further it connects the proud history of the organization and of dissent to people today.

Defending Dissent is a great national organization that also makes great use of its local connections in the DC area to mobilize support for civil liberties, national security, and dissent generally. I'm with a local group, Montgomery County Civil Rights Coalition; we're very fortunate to get to work with Sue Udry and DDF frequently on local and national civil liberties issues, and benefit from their expertise, enthusiasm, and support.

I can't say enough about Defending Dissent Foundation. Since it began in 1960, it has been trailblazer in defending political dissent. In terms of staff, it's one full time executive director and a bit more for an assistant. And they still have an impact. DDF was sited by a UN human rights report several times in the past couple of years. Join the fight to protect the right to political dissent!

Defending Dissent has for decades fought to protect our political and civil liberties and to defend unpopular people and causes in the name of justice and democratic rights. It deserves continuing support.
Clay Steinman

If it weren't for the efforts of DDF I wouldn't have heard about many important citizen actions. They are doing an excellent job and deserve recognition. Thank you.

Defending Dissent is vital to the continued protection of American civil liberties and universal human rights.

Defending Dissent's outstanding newsletter is an indispensable component of the civil liberties ongoing compendium of information and analysis. My organization, the Chicago Committee to Defend the Bill of Rights (www.ccdbr.org) makes regular use of these newsletters, forwards them and links them to our web site. DD's participation in various coalitions in unselfish and consistently useful in promoting our mission of defending civil liberties and especially First Amendment rights. Finally, DD has provided, including recently, very signficant material support to our work here in Chicago. Thank you, Sue Udry, and DD board for all that you are doing.

I appreciate the Defending Dissent Foundation for their excellent communications. They send only a few emails, and these emails let me know precisely what concrete actions are being taken with my donations, from submitting briefs in important court cases to lobbying for particular amendments. These announcements are also timely, and help me interpret what I'm reading in the news about particular legislation from the perspectives of informed civil liberties advocates.

This organization is very informative in terms of helping my understand that my civil liberties in America are under attack.

Defending Dissent Foundation's skill at networking and coalition building has made its effectiveness even greater. It has the respect and support of many organizations.

I first heard of this group in 1984 and have been supporting them every since.

This organization is an EXCELLENT channel for defending human rights and civil liberties (human rights are civil liberties, too) in the U.S., and I highly praise them for their work in doing so, particularly because human and civil rights are under increasing attack and threat in the U.S., with less and less Americans understanding the importance of being vigilant, standing up for their preservation, standing up against their abrogation, and understanding that we must NOT sacrifice them for so-called "security". Thank you for all of your consideration.

We must defend dissenters, as they alone have the courage that others lack to speak out against the wrong-doings committed by the Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches of our government and against our war-mongering, inhumane, profiteering, unjust, lawless, short-sighted policies.

Defending Dissent keeps me informed and active on issues of civil liberties in the USA and human rights.

As a criminal defense lawyer, I am very familiar with just how eroded civil liberties have become in the name of "national security." Organizations that are willing to stand up against these policies, like DDF, are critical to the preservation of our liberties.

I am a lawyer and board member with the Chicago Committee to Defend the Bill of Rights (CCDBR). DDF has had a longstanding relationship with CCDBR and other leading organizations, and it stands at the forefront for important civil liberties issues. CCDBR is unafraid to build connections between other organizations, support the work of other groups, and to continue to fight the evisceration of civil liberties and rights. They even support the CCDBR newsletter and press releases, which helps to build a national coalition around these issues. All in all, DDF is a 5-star deserving organization.

I have worked with the Defending Dissent Foundation for many years. They are a reliable coalition partner in DC, but the best thing about this group is that they are solid on the facts and the policies they work on without being a boring think tank. They make grassroots activism easy and fun.

It's comforting to know that there is an organization that is still willing to speak out against the dangers to our democracy posed by government actions. It's frightening that some other organizations (including some of the previously most progressive) are now afraid to defend some of our basic human rights.

This group has long defended free-speech and anti-harassment rights -- issues that are once again under challenge today.

Their mailings are very helpful to my research. They cover the material with skill and comprehensiveness.

Defending Dissent is on the job providing up to the minute info on the deteriorating conditions in our democracy. The passion and commitment of Sue Udry also impresses!

I am glad to help Defending Dissent in any way that I can in order to ensure our Freedoms

Consistently, for over 50 years under earlier names, it has done what its name says, preventing people from being jailed or suppressed by other means of law for holding unpopular views. Or on suspicion of holding such views. Its actions probably show a bias towards support of people who criticize the government; this would be because agreeing with the government is rarely a form of dissent that goernments try to suppress.

Defending Dissent fills a role that very few other organizations do, by standing up for American's liberties.

The need for Defending Dissent Foundation's work is more critical than ever as the President and Congress continue to take away more and more of our civil and political liberties, and haul activists in front of grand juries for no reason other than their political beliefs or associations. We're on a slippery slope sliding fast to totalitarianism and a corporate/military/intelligence police state.

Defending Dissent Foundation have a focused eye on probably the most crucial issue in the "war on terror" -- the right and ability of the American people to let their government, their fellow citizens, and the world know what the government gets seriously out-of-line. Without visible dissent, liberty is a goner. Harvey A. Silverglate, Cambridge, MA: Lawyer and author.

Defending Dissent Foundation plays a critical role in linking grassroots activists with what is happening in Washington. DDF is the only group that is focused on articulating and defending the vital role that dissent has in our democracy.

the action they are taking on getting the public aware of what is happening with the NDAA is phenomenal!

Defending Dissent was first and fastest about getting word out about the scandalous effort to gut the legislation designed to reform of the NDAA.

Defending Dissent has been one of my most trusted sources of information on issues that I care about deeply and have worked on for more than 20 years.