Working to make the promise of the Bill of Rights a reality.
Welcome to Defending Rights & Dissent
Join the grassroots movement to fulfill the promise of the Bill of Rights for everyone. Together, we can make police and intelligence agencies accountable to we the people whom they serve. It’s time to convert your concern and outrage into political action. Let’s do this.
Dissent NewsWire
Organizations Decry Cozy Relationship Between Amazon and Local Police
Last week, DRAD joined over 30 civil rights organizations on an open letter sounding the alarm about Amazon’s spreading Ring doorbell partnerships with police. The letter calls on local, state, and federal officials to use their power to investigate Amazon Ring’s business practices, put an end to Amazon-police partnerships, and pass oversight measures to deter such partnerships in the future.
No More Sneaky Backdoors for the FBI
Time and again the FBI has shown its inability, or unwillingness, to obey the law. This time, a secret court ruling made public last week revealed that the FBI had conducted tens of thousands of unauthorized searches of U.S. persons in a government intelligence database between 2017 and 2018
In Light of FISA Court Ruling, It’s Time to Close The FBI’s Backdoor Loophole
Earlier this week, it was revealed that a judge on the secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Court ruled that some of the FBI’s “backdoor” searches of communications intercepted by the NSA violated the rights of Americans. Defending Rights & Dissent has long opposed the FBI’s backdoor searches and renews its call for Congress to eliminate them once and for all.
FBI’s powers need to be reined in, not expanded
Calls to expand the FBI’s powers to investigate “domestic terrorism” are unnecessary and would further enable law enforcement to suppress dissent.
Leaked FBI Memo Conjures Threat of Armed Conflict From Anarchist Groups Fighting for Immigrant Rights
The FBI is monitoring groups protesting U.S. border and immigration policies and considers them violent threats despite providing little evidence to support that claim.
Defending Rights & Dissent: Congress Must Protect Whistleblowers
Since the House of Representatives has begun an impeachment inquiry in response to a whistleblower complaint, President Trump has vilified and attacked the anonymous whistleblower. Congress must make sure the whistleblower is protected. Credible allegations require serious inquiries
DRAD & Others Tell Dept. of Ed to Stop Bullying UNC-Duke Consortium for Middle East Studies
Defending Rights & Dissent (DRAD) joined with the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and others to urge the US Department of Education to step away from the dangerous path it entered by ordering the Duke–UNC Consortium for Middle East Studies to revise its offerings.
Civil Society Leaders Demand Action After Revelations of FBI JTTF Spying on Anti-Pipeline Groups in Oregon
Leaders from international, national, and local organizations call on Governor Kate Brown to stop surveillance of communities opposing the Jordan Cove LNG export project.
It’s About Time. House Will Hold Hearing on Muslim Ban
More than two years after it was enacted, the US House of Representatives is finally holding a hearing on the impact of the Muslim Ban.
Death is not the way their freedom should be gained.
2 Indian asylum seekers were deported, one on his 63rd day of hunger strike; 2 men remain on hunger strike, 68 days