American Freedom Campaign
The American Freedom Campaign (AFC) is an organization started by liberals such as Wes Boyd, co-founder of MoveOn.org but somewhat similar to American Freedom Agenda, an organization backed by conservative/libertarian Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas). The AFC encourages people to tell their U.S. representive to support the American Freedom Agenda Act of 2007 introduced by Ron Paul on October 15, 2007. The Act would among other things bar the use of evidence obtained through torture.[1]
AFC states on its website that it is "dedicated to confronting and correcting" the abuses of power which have occurred under the 'pretense' of a "war on terror". While the Constitution has traditionally protected American Freedom with "checks and balances, and basic legal rights," thus "preventing tyranny" and safeguarding "our liberty", the AFC believes that a concentration of "power in the President" is "dismantling the Constitution" and "undermining the rule of law" within the United States.[2] The AFC is also affiliated in partnership with various other organizations including Amnesty International, the Center for Constitutional Rights, Human Rights Watch and MoveOn.org. [1]
Contents
AFC mission
The mission of the American Freedom Campaign "is threefold. Our initial goal is to educate American citizens about the current Constitutional crisis in this country, about their individual rights, and about our Founders’ vision. As we educate, our secondary goal is to motivate and inspire individuals in order to build a grassroots citizens’ democracy movement. Finally, with the strength of this grassroots movement at our side, the American Freedom Campaign – through its advocacy arm, the American Freedom Campaign Action Fund – will push for the enactment of statutes that would end the infringement of fundamental rights by the executive and restore the Constitution’s hallowed system of checks and balances" [2]
The American Freedom Campaign Agenda
The American Freedom Agenda Act of 2007 (H.R. 3835), which "addresses most of the issues" outlined in ten AFC 'goals', was introduced by Ron Paul (R-Texas) on October 15, 2007.
"At critical moments in our history, Americans have been called upon to protect our Constitutional guarantees of liberty and justice. We face such a moment today. The American Freedom Campaign is a non-partisan citizens' alliance formed to reverse the abuse of executive power and restore our system of checks and balances with these ten goals". [3]
The American Freedom Pledge
"On August 15, the American Freedom Campaign mailed and faxed letters to all of the major candidates for president. (Using an objective standard, we included those individuals who have been participating in the Democratic and Republican debates.) The purpose of this letter was to urge the candidates to sign the American Freedom Pledge . . ."[4]
Founders
- Wes Boyd, co-founder, MoveOn.org
- David Fenton, Executive Director of AFC, Chairman, Fenton Communications
- William Haseltine, scientist and social entrepreneur
- Naomi Wolf[3]
Allies & supporters
- ACLU of Southern California
- Alliance for Justice
- Amnesty International USA
- Bill of Rights Defense Committee
- Brennan Center for Justice
- Campaign to Defend the Constitution
- Center for Constitutional Rights
- Electronic Frontier Foundation
- Human Rights Watch
- MoveOn.org
- National Campaign to Restore Civil Rights
- TrueMajority[4]
American Freedom Campaign says that it applauds the work of the following:
Contact details
(No street address given on website)
Website: http://afagenda.nonprofitsoapbox.com
Articles and resources
Related SourceWatch articles
References
- ↑ Sign page, American Freedom Campaign, accessed November 2010.
- ↑ About page, American Freedom Campaign, accessed July 2007.
- ↑ About page, American Freedom Campaign, accessed November 2010.
- ↑ Allies & supporters, American Freedom Campaign, accessed November 2010.
External articles
- Naomi Wolf, "Finally, Action! Ron Paul Introduces Bill to Defend Constitution!", The Huffington Post, October 18, 2007.
