People for the American Way

People for the American Way (PFAW Template:IPAc-en) is a progressive advocacy group in the United States.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Organized as a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization, PFAW was registered in 1981 by the television producer Norman Lear,<ref name="hollywood">Template:Cite news</ref> a self-described liberal<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> who founded the organization in 1980 to challenge the Christian right agenda of the Moral Majority.

While publicly known as People for the American Way since its inception, the group only legally held this name from 1985 to 1998.<ref name=history /> From 1981 to 1985, the group's official name was Citizen for Constitutional Concerns Inc.<ref name=history /> The group was officially renamed "People for the American Way Foundation" in 1998.<ref name=history />

History

PFAW was founded by the television producer Norman Lear in opposition to the publicized agenda of the Moral Majority, a prominent and influential American political organization associated with the Christian right.<ref>Template:Cite news
- Template:Cite book</ref> Officially incorporated on September 4, 1980,<ref name= corp/> its co-founders included Democratic Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, University of Notre Dame President Theodore Hesburgh and Time Inc. chairman and CEO Andrew Heiskell.<ref name=history /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="npr">Template:Cite news</ref> PFAW began as a project of the Tides Foundation,<ref>1976–2001: 25 Years of Working Toward Positive Social Change Template:Webarchive. Tides Foundation, 2001. p. 8. Retrieved August 26, 2016. "[Timeline, 1980] ... Norman Lear and others launch a Tides project: People for the American Way".</ref> a donor-advised fund that directs money to politically liberal causes.<ref>Template:Cite web See also, Hewat, N. Campaigning for Educational Policy Reform: An Ecological Analysis of a 'People for the American Way' Grassroots Organizing Phenomenon, doctoral dissertation, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1986.</ref>

Among the group's most frequent targets were Jerry Falwell, Jimmy Swaggart and Pat Robertson.<ref name=history /><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Though always publicly known as People for the American Way, the group was originally trademarked as "Citizens for Constitutional Concerns Inc." prior to officially taking the "People for the American Way" name in 1985.<ref name=history>Template:Cite web</ref>

Former presidents of PFAW include Arthur Kropp,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Tony Podesta,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Ralph Neas.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Soon after its founding, PFAW launched an affiliated 501(c)(3) organization, People for the American Way Foundation, for the purpose of conducting more extensive educational and research activities for liberal causes.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> "People for the American Way Foundation" would also become the group's legal name in 1998.<ref name=history /> From 2004–2008, major donors to PFAW's foundation included George Soros' Open Society Institute, the Miriam G. and Ira D. Wallach Foundation, the Bauman Family Foundation, and the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1998, the People for the American Way Voters Alliance was launched as a political action committee.<ref>Goodstein, Laurie (November 5, 1998). "The 1998 Elections: Congress – The Right; Religious Conservatives, Stung by Vote Losses, Blame G.O.P. for Focusing on Clinton Template:Webarchive". The New York Times. nytimes.com. Retrieved November 2, 2018. The article characterizes PFAW's Voters Alliance as its "new political action committee".</ref>

Activities

PFAW was responsible for the 1982 television special I Love Liberty, which was described by the Washington Post as "America's first left-wing patriotic rally."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> PFAW has also been active in battles over judicial nominations, opposing U.S. Supreme Court nominees Robert Bork and Brett Kavanaugh and supporting the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor.<ref name=hollywood/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> PFAW is also active in federal elections, donating $339,874 to oppose Republican candidates in the 2014 election cycle<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and $351,075 to oppose Republican candidates in the 2016 election cycle.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Right Wing Watch

PFAW's Right Wing Watch project is a website that catalogs statements of public figures whom they label as right-wing, including politicians, preachers, and others, with a focus on hate speech and right-wing conspiracy theories.<ref name="Ingram">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=Baragona>Template:Cite news</ref> The web site was founded in 2007, expanding on PFAW's earlier practice of VHS recording clips from television programs such as Pat Robertson's 700 Club, for distribution to news media.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2013, evangelist and politician Gordon Klingenschmitt sent DMCA takedown notices to YouTube against Right Wing Watch's channel based on copyright claims. The Electronic Frontier Foundation provided legal counsel to Right Wing Watch to defend their channel and posts against YouTube's actions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2014, HGTV withdrew from plans to produce a television series with Jason and David Benham after Right Wing Watch made an issue of their statements about homosexuality.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2018, Salon.com and The Daily Telegraph credited Jared Holt, a Right Wing Watch researcher, for causing the removal of Alex Jones's InfoWars program from multiple content distribution sites, including Apple, Inc, YouTube, Facebook, and Spotify.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Afterwards, Holt said he received death threats.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In June 2021, Right Wing Watch's YouTube channel, which had been operating for about 10 years, was temporarily suspended by YouTube, who stated that the suspension had been an accident.<ref name=Ingram/><ref name=Baragona/> At the time, the channel had about 47,000 subscribers.<ref name=Ingram/>

Leadership

Michael Keegan served as the organization's president for 11 years through June 2020.<ref>Kurtz, Josh (June 8, 2020). "A New Gig for Ben Jealous Template:Webarchive". Maryland Matters. Retrieved June 28, 2020.</ref> On June 15, 2020, Ben Jealous succeeded Keegan as president,<ref>Marino, Pam (June 2, 2020). "Monterey County native Ben Jealous tapped to lead nonprofit fighting right-wing extremism Template:Webarchive". Monterey County Weekly. Retrieved June 28, 2020.</ref><ref>Ford, William J. (June 24, 2020). "Ben Jealous: ‘Racism is Tragic, Racism is Alive’ Template:Webarchive". The Washington Informer. Retrieved June 28, 2020.</ref> and Svante Myrick succeeded Jealous as president on November 14, 2022.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Myrick abruptly resigned as mayor of Ithaca, New York, to take that position.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Members of the group's board of directors include Cristela Alonzo, Alec Baldwin, Seth MacFarlane, Joel Madden, Bertis Downs IV, Dolores Huerta, Josh Sapan, Howie Klein, Alyssa Milano, David Saperstein, Margery Tabankin, Reg Weaver, and Carrie Mae Weems.<ref name="pfaw-board"/>

See also

• Mi Familia Vota

External links

• Template:Official website