Democracy is a hollow promise if citizens aren't guaranteed freedom of expression. We're working to protect Americans' right to speak their minds without fear of reprisal.

Freedom of Speech

Robin Williams as the American Flag

Robin Williams portrays the American flag in a special produced by Norman Lear. Watch on YouTube

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Features

mccarthy

Memo: Have they no decency?
Right-wing opinion leaders, media outlets, organizations and even members of Congress are using a troubling new tactic to challenge the legitimacy, allegiances and patriotism of their opponents: a new McCarthyism.
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Wendy Gonaver’s Fight for Free Speech and Freedom of Religion
Quaker and pacifist Wendy Gonaver will be teaching at California State this fall, thanks in large part to the thousands of activists who signed our petition.
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Free Speech in School: Banned Books
Between 1990 and 2000, there were 6,364 challenges reported to or recorded by the Office for Intellectual Freedom. Seventy-one percent of the challenges were to materials in schools or school libraries.
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Headlines

Feb 25Supreme Court Rules Religious Monuments to be Government Speech
Sep 02Response to Revelations of Palin's Attempted Book Banning
Jun 02Cal State and People For Foundation Reach Agreement in Lecturer Case
May 15People For Delivers 11,000 Petitions To Cal State Chancellor

Our Work in this area

Back to School with the Religious Right
Religious Right groups remain committed as ever to fanning the flames of censorship, mounting organized campaigns to ban books in public school classrooms.
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