AFSC - San Francisco

Alternative Information Sources

Get Informed, Get Involved, Create Change at Home

Are you feeling frustrated and powerless with the current government’s foreign and domestic policies? Are you wondering how to get involved or struggling to find a way to make a difference? We have identified some websites that provide useful information on some key issues we are facing now. We have arranged this information by issues which are key to understanding some aspects of the widening war and national security. We hope that you will use these resources to educate yourself or better yet to organize study circles from your faith community, neighborhood, or friends.

We realize that this list represents a small portion of the wonderful information that is available. We have selected user friendly websites which provide information not readily obtained through the mainstream media; valuable information which can help the reader to understand the current situation from a broader context.

Domestic Issues/Economy/Civil Liberties

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
www.aclu.org
Works daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States

*Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
fcnl.org
(202) 547-6000
A Quaker Lobby in the public interest, seeking to bring the concerns, experiences and testimonies of the Religious Society of Friends to bear on policy decisions in the nations capital.

Jericho Amnesty Movement
www.thejerichomovement.com
(212) 502-1143
Pushing for the admission on the part of the United States government and for recognition in the international arena that political prisoners and prisoners of war do exist inside the United States.

Globalization/Human Rights

*Global Exchange
globalexchange.org
(415) 255-7296
An international human rights organization dedicated to promoting environmental, political and social justice globally.

Human Rights Watch
hrw.org
(212) 290-4700
Stands with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom, to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice.

Amnesty International
www.amnesty.org
(212) 807-8400
A worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights.

TransAfrica Forum
www.transafricaforum.org
(202) 223-1960
A major research, educational, and organizing institution offering constructive analyses of issues concerning U.S. policy as it affects Africa and the Diaspora in the Caribbean and Latin America.

Middle East issues

Bitterlemons
www.bitterlemons.org
Presents Israeli and Palestinian viewpoints on prominent issues of concern. Its goal is to contribute to mutual understanding through the open exchange of ideas.

PEACE: A Mid-East Dialog Group
www.ariga.com/dialog
A Peace dialog group founded by an Israeli and a Jordanian.

Education for Peace in Iraq Center
www.epic-usa.org
(202) 543-6176
Dedicated to improving humanitarian conditions in Iraq and defending the human rights of the Iraqi people.

War/Military/Weapons

*California Peace Action
californiapeaceaction.org
(202) 862-9740
California's largest peace organization has a wonderful running tally of the cost of war with Iraq and ways for the money to be alternatively spent.

*Center For Defense Information
www.cdi.org
(202) 332-0600
Committed to independent research on the social, economic, environmental, political and military components of global security.

*Back From the Brink
backfromthebrink.org
(202) 545-1001
A campaign to remove nuclear weapons from high-alert status.

Abolition 2000
abolition2000.org
(814) 453-4955
A network of over 2000 organizations in more than 90 countries world wide working for a global treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons.

Waging Peace
www.wagingpeace.org
(805) 965-3443
Advancing initiatives to eliminate the nuclear weapons threat to all life and building an enduring legacy of peace through education and advocacy.

Multi-Issue

Institute for Policy Studies
www.ips-dc.org
(202) 234-9382
With links to activists and scholars across the nation and around the world, the Institute serves as a bridge between progressive forces in government and grass-roots activists, and between movements in the U.S. and those in the developing world.

*American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
www.afsc.org
(215) 241-7000
Carries out service, development, social justice, and peace programs throughout the world.

Foreign Policy in Focus
www.foreignpolicy-infocus.org
(505) 388-0208
The overriding goal of the Foreign Policy In Focus project is to forge a new global affairs agenda for the U.S. government and the U.S. people—one that makes the U.S. a more responsible global leader and global partner.

Compassionate Listening Project
www.coopcomm.org/compassion
A free downloadable guide to compassionate listening, a unique tool for reconciliation.

Alternative Media

AlterNet
alternet.org
(415) 284-1420

Black Voices in Commentary
www.trottergroup.com/index.html

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
news.bbc.co.uk

Common Dreams
www.commondreams.org
(207) 775-0488

Haaretz
www.haaretzdaily.com

Independent Media Center (indy Media)
indymedia.org
(410) 243-2471

Middle East Times
www.metimes.com
+44 (0) 20 7820-4188

New California Media (ethnic media)
news.ncmonline.com/news
(415) 503-4170

*The Nation
thenation.com
(212) 209-5400

Truthout
www.truthout.org
(213) 489-1971

U.N. Wire
unwire.org
(202) 454-8901