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
Invoking War Powers Act for First Time, Senate Moves to End Illegal US War in Yemen
Yesterday, the Senate voted to end the US’s illegal, unauthorized military participation in the Saudi-led war in Yemen. This is historic. Never has either chamber voted to invoke the War Powers Act. This could not have happened without grassroots pressure. I
DRAD Mourns Passing of Ally William Blum, Journalist and Historian Who Documented US Covert Actions
William Blum, a journalist and historian who documented covert actions, was an ally of our work. He recently passed away at the age of 85.
Another Assault on The Right to Boycott by the Lame Duck Congress
Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), is following in Cardin’s footsteps and has announced he will try to get the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act language into the budget. Anti-semitism is deplorable. And people should be aware of it. But this bill isn’t about combating anti-semitism, it’s about perverting federal civil rights law to silence supporters of Palestinian civil rights.
Silver Spring Justice Coalition Demands Answers After Unjustified Arrest of Neighborhood “Good Samaritan,” Samir Ahmed. Yes, He is Black.
Montgomery County Police again disgraced themselves by treating another Black man with undue aggression, arresting Samir Ahmed in his own neighborhood after he had helped an intoxicated neighbor home.
DRAD Defends Human Rights Defenders
Free expression, free assembly, and free association aren’t just fundamental rights. They are the tools that human rights defenders rely on to fight back against the abuses.
Lame Duck Congress to Attack Right to Boycott
For two years now, we’ve fought to stop the unconstitutional Israel Anti-Boycott Act. And thanks to an outpouring of opposition from individuals like you, this First Amendment violating bill has been stalled. But now the bill’s sponsor, Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), is working behind the scenes to sneak the Israel Anti-Boycott Act into the must-pass end of the year spending bill.
Free Speech Rights Under Fire on Campus: From Marc Lamont Hill to the Department of Education
Academic freedom for supporters of Palestinian human rights is under fire.As a civil liberties organization, Defending Rights & Dissent takes no position on Palestine-Israel. However, we recognize there is a concerted, unconstitutional effort to silence supporters of Palestinian human rights. As an organization founded by victims of McCarthyism, we are obligated to speak out against such affronts to political expression and organizing
New Guidelines for Public Employees May Chill Dissent
Defending Rights & Dissent expresses deep concern about the Office of Special Counsel’s new Hatch Act guidelines. The new guidelines are overly broad and will having a chilling impact on speech.
Time to End Censorship at Florida Dept. of Corrections
Without explanation, the Florida Dept. of Corrections has impounded two dozen issues of The Militant in the past two years.
Defending Rights & Dissent Condemns Use of Tear Gas Against Refugees
Defending Rights & Dissent joins people around the world in expressing our outrage, disgust, and horror that US border agents attacked refugees, including children, with tear gas. The images of children, already refugees from violence and poverty, fleeing from tear gas is gut wrenching.