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ACLU Action Checklist
The actions
listed below are meaningful ways of raising public awareness and
shifting policy. They can be undertaken by individuals or
groups of interested people.
We hope that
you will undertake as many actions as you can, and that you will
encourage other people to do so as well.
Things you can do right
now:
 Write
to your Elected Officials
The ACLU has developed a number of issue-related
Action Alerts
that allow you to quickly and easily communicate with your
elected officials and members of the current Administration.
Call
your Elected Representatives
In addition to writing your elected representatives,
you can also call them and let them know where you stand on the
issues. You can contact your Members of Congress through the
Capitol Switchboard (202-224-3121).
Add
ACLU Action Alerts to Your Favorite Blog
We have created some simple
HTML code
which you can add to your website in order to create a graphical
link to the ACLU site. You can also have a live feed
of ACLU action alerts appearing on your page
using this code.
Add
the ACLU to Your Email Signature
With a couple mouse clicks, you can support the ACLU and civil
liberties each time you send an email: by adding a mention to
the ACLU in your signature line, you will encourage your friends
and families to get better informed on the issues every time you
send an email. Find out
how to add the
ACLU to your email signature.
Tell
a friend (or ten)
You can encourage friends, families and others to become active
in the civil liberties movement by visiting our
"Tell a Friend"
page
and referring them to the ACLU Action Center page (http://www.aclu.org/action).
You can also talk to people about the issue as you go about your
daily life. By talking to people (whether strangers or family
members) about the issues you are raising awareness and
motivating them to get more involved.
Write
Personalizsd Letters to your Members of Congress
Members of Congress (and other elected officials)
seriously consider written feedback from their constituents. To
help you write your elected representatives on these key issues,
we've created a section
"Writing to your
Members of Congress."
Tell
us about your success stories and heroes
Share your successes with us and build awareness that people
across the country are successfully defending civil liberties.
You can see the
current profiles,
and/or submit your own success stories and heroes.
Things in You Can Do in Your
Community:
Discuss
the issues with other interested people
There might be several like-minded groups of people in your
local area or discussing the issues online. Please visit the
Community
section
of the Action Center to find these people or join the online
forum focused on advocacy and activism.
Table
at Events
You can set up a table at public events and provide information
on the issue. This is also a great chance to meet like-minded
people, talk to them about their concerns and coordinate.
Distribute
Flyers and Put up Posters
You can print out materials and distribute them to friends and
the public in order to raise awareness about issues. We have
assembled a number of
flyers that you can print out, copy, and distribute. If you
have created materials, please feel free to
send us electronic copies of your fliers (we may add them to
the collection).
Write
a Letter to the Editor
You can write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper and
express your opinion about issues that are being covered (or are
noticeably absent). Your letter might very well be printed in
the "Letters to the Editor" section, which is the second-most
read feature in a newspaper. To help you, we've created a
section
"Writing Letters
to the Editor".
Meet
with your Elected Representatives
You can meet with elected officials or their representatives and
tell them what you think about a certain issue or bill, and to
try to get him or her to take action on that issue. If you are
interested in helping the ACLU lobby on federal issues, please
click
here.
To help you with local meetings, we've prepared a section on "Meeting
Your Elected Representative".
Join
a Demonstration
All across the country people are showing their disproval of
government policies by peacefully demonstrating. You can join
these gatherings and add your voice.
Get
Trained
If you wish to be a successful activist, you need to develop
skills that will make you effective and efficient. We have
compiled a list of
training
resources
to aid you.
Vote
You can vote for candidates who share your belief in a safe and
free society. To find out a candidate's voting record, please
visit the ACLU's
National Freedom
Scorecard.
Start
a Letter-Writing Campaign
Recruit friends and others to write letters to Members of
Congress and the State House/Senate on key issues. You can use
the
Action Alerts
and
"Writing your
Elected Official"
for guidance.
Organize
a public event
You can organize public events (such as rallies, speaking
forums, town hall meetings, and concerts) to raise awareness
about the issues and perhaps even raise funds. By gathering
interesting speakers and cool activities (music, dancing, etc.),
you not only recruit new members, but you may also get media
attention.
Volunteer
Many ACLU affiliates rely on volunteers. By volunteering you are
not only contributing significantly to the work that needs to be
done, you also develop great experience and gain tremendous
knowledge about the issues. You can find the affiliate in your
area by clicking
here.
Get
a Resolution Passed in Your Community
Many communities around the country have passed resolutions
indicating their commitment to defend civil liberties. These
resolutions show politicians at all levels believe that civil
liberties must be preserved and that it is possible to be both
safe and free. You can
learn more about
these resolutions
or sign up to get more information about
how to pass a
resolution in your community.
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