The ACLU was created in 1917 by Roger Nash Baldwin to protect American's rights to the First Amendment, equal protection laws, due process, and privacy. ACLU has defended those rights espcially on behalf of minority groups or others that have been historically denied rights. These groups include, but are not limited to; Native Americans, African Americans, gays, lesbians, transgender persons, disabled persons, the poor, and women.
ACLU is a nonpartisan NGO that actively lobbies issues that range from same sex marriage to the death penalty. ACLU's home page on its website lists twenty-one issues on which it advocates positions protecting the rights of Americans.
A hot topic on the CLU current news is arguing for protection of health care, namely birht control. ACLU is heading up a fight against a Department of Health and Human Service's potential regulation allowing individuals and institutions to deny women birth control for religious reasons. The ACLU is taking a strong stance on this issue, arguing that this violates a woman's right to health care.
The ACLU and its foundation receives support and funding from its members in the form of contributions and dues. Additionally, it receives numerous large contributions and grants from foundations and individuals such as Ford, Carnegie, and Rockefeller. In 2004, ACLU received an eight million dollar gift from Peter Lewis, the Chairman of The Progressive Foundation. A substantial amount of this large gift was used to fight against the Bush administration's policies that ACLU believes to violate civil liberties. According to ACLU's Consolidated Statement of Financial Position, in 2007 it received $1, 669, 660 in pledges and contributions. This money is spent to educate, litigate, and lobby.
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