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
CBP Admits to Targeting Journalists, Activists, After Civil Society Groups, Including Defending Rights & Dissent, Demanded Answers
After revelations that Customs and Border Patrol (CBB) had monitored journalists, human rights lawyers, and activists, Defending Rights & Dissent joined with a 100 civil society demanding answers. In a May 9, 2019 response letter, CBP admits for the first time to having engaged in this monitoring, though it defended its actions.
Defending Rights & Dissent Appalled By Order to Jail, Fine Chelsea Manning
After only a week of freedom, the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia hauled Chelsea Manning before another grand jury. They are now sending Chelsea Manning back to jail and are seeking to impose a draconian fine on the courageous… [Read More]
Chelsea Manning is Back in Court. Tell the Government to #LeaveChelseaAlone
Today, Chelsea Manning is being hauled before a grand jury. Again. We urgently need you to take action and tell the US Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Eastern District of Virginia to Leave Chelsea Alone!
Activists Turn Up the Heat in Illinois and Texas
As draconian anti-protest bills, known as ‘critical infrastructure’ bills, make their way through state legislatures in Illinois and Texas, coalitions in both states are growing and becoming more vocal in opposition.
Members of Congress Might Need Some Help Understanding Science and Technology.
DRAD has joined a broad, bipartisan coalition to support reviving the Office of Technology Assessment to help them understand emerging technologies in order to tackle 21st century science and technology policy challenges.
Free Speech is the Critical Infrastructure to our Democracy
In states red and blue across the country, legislators are joining with corporate interests to undermine the ability of grassroots groups to protest the construction of pipelines and other fossil fuel projects.
Ahead of Hearing, Defending Rights & Dissent Urges Homeland Security Committee to Address Law Enforcement Abuses of Counterterrorism Authorities
With an uptick in white supremacist violence, the House Homeland Security Committee is holding a hearing on “Confronting the Rise of Domestic Terrorism in the Homeland.” Defending Rights & Dissent recognizes the real threat white supremacist violence poses to many communities. We also have deep concerns about how law enforcement routinely abuses their counterterrorism authorities. The framework of “terrorism” has been used to criminalize some of the very same communities most at risk from white supremacist violence. When investigating nonviolent activists, law enforcement frequently cite their counterterrorism authorities.
“We Have a Right to Speak Freely. We Have a Right to Peaceably Assemble.”
Elected officials in South Dakota aren’t even trying to hide their cozy relationship with TransCanada, the company behind the Keystone XL pipeline.
Will the NSA stop mass spying on Americans? Don’t hold your breath
Recent headlines that suggest the NSA will abandon its mass phone surveillance program, commonly known as Section 215 of the Patriot Act, should be met with a healthy dollop of skepticism.
It’s Time for DHS to Clean Up Its Act
Today, Defending Rights and Dissent joined a coalition of over 100 organizations in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) urging it to cease any targeting of activists, journalists, and lawyers based on their First Amendment-protected speech and associational activities.