Freedom Forward

Freedom Forward is creating people-powered change, and they need your help. Please read below to learn more about the issues they're working on and how you can get involved. Thank you!

Campaigns

  • Restore full funding to the World Health Organization now!
    On April 14th, the Trump administration announced that it would cut funding to the World Health Organization (WHO). This is a horrible move: The WHO coordinates initiatives to improve the health of communities around the world. President Trump is criticizing the WHO in order to distract the U.S. public from his own profound failure to address the Coronavirus pandemic. President Trump has repeatedly disregarded the advice and counsel of public health experts. The United States now has more infections and deaths than any other country on the planet. Tens of thousands of people in the U.S. have died. By cutting funding to the WHO, we're putting millions of people worldwide at risk to contract this deadly disease. And as long as health resources are underfunded, this Coronavirus will continue to spread, and our country and its people will remain in grave danger. Instead of spending vast amounts of money on wars and weapons for dictators, we should invest in the WHO and ensure our national security by protecting the health of all people. Tell the Trump administration and leaders in the US Congress: Restore full funding to the WHO now!
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  • Stop Funding Insurrection
    On January 6th, 2021, a violent mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to block the U.S. Congress from certifying Joe Biden's election as President of the United States. Thanks to poisonous right-wing propaganda from Fox News and others, millions of Americans now believe the total lie that Donald Trump won the 2020 elections. There is zero evidence to support this propaganda, and U.S. courts have repeatedly rejected such claims. It is time to hold corporate advertisers and right-wing donors publicly accountable. We must stop their support for insurrectionist politicians and propaganda platforms that threaten the survival of our democracy.
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  • Cancel Real Housewives of Dubai
    Not based in the U.S.? Sign the petition here: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/tell-bravo-cancel-real-housewives-of-dubai/ Andy Cohen announced that the first international city of the Real Housewives franchise will be Dubai, the heart of the United Arab Emirates. The UAE is an oppressive monarchy that criminalizes being gay, requires male guardianship permission to marry, and permits marital rape. Sign our petition today and tell Bravo: Cancel Real Housewives of Dubai and demand that Dubai’s dictators end their violations of women’s rights. This is urgent: filming is expected to start soon. Bravo TV and Andy Cohen are providing cover to a UAE dictatorship that hides its brutal reality behind an international image of luxury and glamour. Cohen and Bravo are packaging a nightmare as a fantasy: Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum repeatedly organized the abduction and holding captivity of his adult daughters. And, he consistently threatens his former wife, Princess Haya, who fled from Dubai and was granted refuge in the UK. Dubai’s rulers need to see accountability for their mistreatment of women and LGBTQI+ persons, not a TV show projecting a fantasized image while vulnerable communities in the United Arab Emirates are living a nightmare.
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  • Support the People’s Vaccine!
    Coronavirus is wreaking havoc across the entire world. Hundreds of thousands of people have already died (nearly 100,000 Americans alone), and the disease is spreading by the day. As long as vaccines and treatments remain unattainable, people will continue to get sick and die. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Oxfam has called on world leaders to come together, and take concrete steps to ensure that we find a vaccine for Coronavirus as quickly as possible. The leaders of South Africa, Senegal, Ghana, and Pakistan have already pledged their support to a People’s Vaccine, as has the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Gordon Brown. We are now calling on the White House and U.S. Congress to sign on and pledge full support for a People’s Vaccine. As per Oxfam’s People’s Vaccine campaign, the commitments include the following: A mandatory worldwide pooling of patents and sharing of all COVID-19-related knowledge, data and technologies in order to ensure that any nation can produce or buy affordable doses of vaccines, treatments and tests. The rapid establishment of an equitable global manufacturing and distribution plan for all vaccines, treatments and tests that is fully funded by rich nations and which guarantees transparent “at true cost prices” and supplies in accordance with need rather than the ability to pay. This would include urgent action to massively increase manufacturing capacity to produce the vaccines in sufficient quantities and train and recruit millions of health workers to distribute them. A guarantee that COVID-19 vaccines, treatments and tests are provided free of charge to everyone, everywhere, with priority given to frontline workers, vulnerable people and poor countries with the least capacity to save lives. If U.S. leaders signed onto this agreement, the impact would be felt worldwide: It would open the door for more leaders of Western countries to support this agreement, as well. We will undoubtedly quicken the process of finding treatment for Coronavirus by all coming together and pooling together resources and knowledge -- hundreds of thousands of lives (and possibly more) would be saved, and immeasurable pain and suffering will have been prevented. More information: "World leaders unite in call for a people’s vaccine against COVID-19,” May 14, 2020. https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/world-leaders-unite-call-peoples-vaccine-against-covid-19 "OPEN LETTER: Uniting Behind A People’s Vaccine Against COVID-19," Oxfam International, Medium, May 13, 2020. https://medium.com/@Oxfam/uniting-behind-a-peoples-vaccine-against-covid-19-87eec640976
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  • Ed Newberry: Stop working for Saudi Arabia's dictator
    Every year, dictators and foreign governments spend hundreds of millions of dollars to manipulate American politics and bend U.S. foreign policy towards their interests. As America's largest arms customer, Saudi Arabia's monarchy spends vast sums in the U.S. every year to promote the idea that their dictatorship should be a U.S. ally. Meanwhile, the Saudi dictatorship does everything in its power to block freedom and reform at home. Saudi Arabia's rulers jail and kill peaceful critics, torture women's rights activists, bomb civilians in Yemen, and intervene against democracy across the Middle East. Saudi Arabia's current dictator, Mohammed bin Salman, is no exception. Ed Newberry of the U.S. lobbying firm Squire Patton Boggs is one of many unethical lobbyists who have worked as registered foreign agents for Saudi Arabia's dictatorship. But he and his firm are the only ones who still represent the very Saudi office that was directly involved with the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Newberry's bloody contract began with a payment of $1.2 million via Saud Al-Qahtani, the head of the Saudi Center at the time. Al-Qahtani has been sanctioned by the US government for his role in murdering Khashoggi. His Saudi monarchy center was also named in a recent US intelligence report on Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi's murder in Turkey by Saudi agents, which stated: "The 15-member Saudi team that arrived in Istanbul on 2 October 2018 included officials who worked for, or were associated with, the Saudi Center for Studies and Media Affairs (CSMARC) at the Royal Court." Help take our country’s politics back from the brutal dictators who want to bend our fragile democracy to their will. Demand that Ed Newberry and Squire Patton Boggs stop working for Saudi Arabia's dictatorship. Urge Ed Newberry and Squire Patton Boggs to cancel their contracts with Saudi Arabia's dictatorship and the so-called Saudi Center for Studies and Media Affairs at the Saudi Royal Court (CSMARC). SOURCES: 1) "Edward J. Newberry, Partner, Squire Patton Boggs,” https://www.squirepattonboggs.com/en/professionals/n/newberry-edward-j 2) “Top Lobbying Firm Is Still on the Payroll of Saudi Center Implicated in Jamal Khashoggi’s Murder,” Mother Jones, March 3, 2021, https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2021/03/top-lobbying-firm-is-still-on-the-payroll-of-saudi-center-implicated-in-jamal-khashoggis-murder/ 3) “Amendment to Registration Statement Pursuant to the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended,” received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit, U.S. Department of Justice, March 1, 2021, https://efile.fara.gov/docs/2165-Amendment-20210301-140.pdf 4) “Short Form Registration Statement Pursuant to the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, as amended,” received by NSD/FARA Registration Unit, U.S. Department of Justice, September 20, 2016, https://efile.fara.gov/docs/2165-Short-Form-20160920-634.pdf. 5) “Assessing the Saudi Government's Role in the Killing of Jamal Khashoggi,” Office Of The Director Of National Intelligence, February 11, 2021, https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/Assessment-Saudi-Gov-Role-in-JK-Death-20210226v2.pdf 6) Saud Al-Qahtani: Saud al-Qahtani Helped Kill Khashoggi, Tortured Prominent Activist https://dawnmena.org/saudi-arabia-saud-al-qahtani-helped-kill-khashoggi-tortured-prominent-activist/
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  • Biden: Stop giving $3.8 billion in weapons for Israeli Apartheid
    Palestinians have lived under Israeli military occupation and apartheid for decades. And the U.S. government has forced U.S. taxpayers to give Israel tens of billions of dollars in military funding along the way. In its April 2021 report, Human Rights Watch stated that "Israeli authorities are committing the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution ... based on an overarching Israeli government policy to maintain the domination by Jewish Israelis over Palestinians..." As documented in the Human Rights Watch report, Israeli apartheid and persecution includes: - "The suspension of basic civil rights to millions of Palestinians." - "Confiscation of more than a third of the land in the [Occupied Palestinian] West Bank." - "The forcible transfer of thousands of Palestinians out of their homes." Apartheid itself is defined by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as “Inhumane acts ... committed in the context of an institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination by one racial group over any other racial group or groups and committed with the intention of maintaining that regime.” The U.S. has long been a major funder of Israeli apartheid, forcing taxpayers in the U.S. to give billions of dollars to Israel's military. Meanwhile, the Israeli government uses its military to confiscate Palestinian land and enable the building of Jewish-only settlements. Palestinians who dare to oppose these policies are often arrested, imprisoned, tortured, or even killed by Israeli soldiers and police. What can be done? The Human Rights Watch report says, “The Israeli government should dismantle all forms of systematic domination and oppression that privilege Jewish Israelis and systematically repress Palestinians, and end the persecution of Palestinians.” It is time for the U.S. to stop funding Israel's crimes against humanity. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris must immediately end all U.S. funding for the Israeli military. Sources: 1. “Abusive Israeli Policies Constitute Crimes of Apartheid, Persecution,” Human Rights Watch, April 27, 2021. https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/04/27/abusive-israeli-policies-constitute-crimes-apartheid-persecution. 2. “A Threshold Crossed: Israeli Authorities and the Crimes of Apartheid and Persecution,” Report, Human Rights Watch, April 27, 2021, https://www.hrw.org/report/2021/04/27/threshold-crossed/israeli-authorities-and-crimes-apartheid-and-persecution. 3. “Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court,” Article 7 - 2(h); https://legal.un.org/icc/statute/romefra.htm. * The artwork above is by Shirien.Creates. You can see more of her beautiful work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shirien.creates/
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  • Biden: Put Sanctions on Saudi Dictator Mohammed Bin Salman. #SanctionMBS
    The Biden Administration has just released a U.S. intelligence report that clearly states that "Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi." (1) But while the U.S. government has placed sanctions on many of the assassins involved, the Biden Administration has not placed sanctions on the man who ordered the assassination -- Saudi ruler Mohammed bin Salman. (2) Under the U.S. law the Global Magnitsky Act, the U.S. government can place property sanctions and a U.S. travel ban on human rights violators. (3) By not placing sanctions on Saudi Arabia's brutal ruler, the Biden Administration is sending the terrible signal that the U.S. will maintain its relationship with Saudi Arabia's dictatorship instead of standing up for human rights. President Biden should immediately place a travel ban and sanctions on Mohammed bin Salman. It is time for the U.S. to end its alliance with the Saudi monarchy. (1) https://freedomforward.org/2021/02/26/u-s-intelligence-report-on-saudi-monarchys-murder-of-jamal-khashoggi-pdf/ (2) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/26/jamal-khashoggi-mohammed-bin-salman-us-report (3) https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/09/13/us-global-magnitsky-act
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  • Biden / Harris: Reject Mitch McConnell’s Handcuffs
    President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have won the 2020 presidential election with more popular votes than any other presidential ticket in U.S. history. Despite this, Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has threatened to block Biden / Harris appointees from being confirmed in the U.S. Senate. Biden and Harris can get around McConnell's threats by using recess appointments and the Federal Vacancies Reform Act to build a strong cabinet that is unafraid of facing America's challenges. Unfortunately, reports have indicated that the Biden team may be considering a number of conservative appointees, citing Republicans’ current control of the Senate. The Biden transition team must reject McConnell’s antidemocratic threats and fulfill its mandate. The Biden / Harris administration should select a bold, visionary cabinet that can fulfill the trust and will of the millions of people who voted for them. The Revolving Door Project and Demand Progress have put together a clear memo demonstrating how Biden and Harris can build a cabinet free from McConnell's handcuffs. https://therevolvingdoorproject.org/no-mitch-mcconnell-is-not-the-46th-president/ America needs a presidential cabinet that has the courage to solve our country's problems -- not a team undermined by Mitch McConnell.
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  • Tell U.S. Intelligence: Stop Protecting Saudi Arabia’s Assassins
    The U.S. Director of National Intelligence is hiding information on an assassination. John Ratcliffe won't publicly reveal who his office thinks murdered Saudi dissident and U.S. resident Jamal Khashoggi -- even though Congress requires him to do so. And so now Ratcliffe and his office are being taken to court. The Open Society Justice Initiative is suing Ratcliffe and his team. In 2019, Congress passed a measure that requires the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to release unclassified reports on the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. But the Office of the Director of National Intelligence still hasn't done so. And the 30-day deadline is long past. To put it simply: Trump appointee John Ratcliffe and his team are violating U.S. law and ignoring the will of the U.S. Congress. And in doing so, they’re bending over backwards to protect the ruthless Saudi dictatorship. The Washington Post frames the situation well: "Mr. Trump is willing to violate U.S. law rather than publicly confirm that a tyrannical Saudi ruler was involved in the murder of a permanent U.S. resident." Please join us and help push John Ratcliffe to comply with the orders of Congress and disclose information related to the identity of Khashoggi’s assassin. U.S. intelligence should not be protecting Saudi Arabia's dictator and his killers. Sources: "Justice Initiative Sues Office of the Director of National Intelligence for Khashoggi Report," Open Society Justice Initiative, August 19, 2020. https://www.justiceinitiative.org/newsroom/justice-initiative-sues-office-of-the-director-of-national-intelligence-for-khashoggi-report "Trump defies Congress — to shield MBS from accountability on Jamal Khashoggi," Opinion, Washington Post, August 21, 2020. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/trump-defies-congress--to-shield-mbs-from-accountability-on-jamal-khashoggi/2020/08/21/4cc19034-e3da-11ea-b69b-64f7b0477ed4_story.html
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  • Hey @Uber: Kick the Saudi Dictator Off Your Board of Directors
    Saudi Arabia is ruled by a brutal dictatorship that is destroying the planet with its massive oil exports. This dictatorship has invested $3.5 billion in Uber, and a representative of the dictator sits on the Uber board of directors. In a new interview with "Axios on HBO," Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi called the murder of Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi "a mistake" and compared it to Uber mistakes with self-driving cars. Khashoggi's death wasn't a "mistake" -- it was a murder. The person responsible for that murder is Saudi dictator Mohammed bin Salman, one of Uber's biggest shareholders through his Saudi Public Investment Fund. In his interview, Uber's CEO suggested that he did not know that the CIA had concluded that Saudi Arabia's dictator was directly involved in Khashoggi's murder. Facing public backlash, the Uber CEO later backtracked from his comments to Axios, issuing a written statement: "I said something in the moment that I do not believe. When it comes to Jamal Khashoggi, his murder was reprehensible and should not be forgotten or excused." But Uber's ties to the Saudi dictatorship go beyond the Uber CEO's on-air defense of the murder of Khashoggi. Saudi Arabia's dictatorship has placed Yasir Al-Rumayyan on the Uber board of directors. Al-Rumayyan is the managing director of the Saudi dictatorship's Public Investment Fund. Uber must remove the Saudi dictatorship from the Uber board and end the dictatorship's investments in the company. In addition to murdering Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi dictatorship has slaughtered thousands of civilians in Yemen, imprisoned women's rights activists, and jailed countless nonviolent human rights reformers. 1. "Governance, Uber Board of Directors," https://investor.uber.com/governance/default.aspx#bod 2. "Uber CEO calls Saudi murder of Khashoggi 'a mistake,' scrambles to backtrack," Axios, November 11, 2019, https://www.axios.com/uber-ceo-saudi-arabia-jamal-khashoggi-mistake-92865f2a-d97c-4d6a-b171-5e7c0a69e77a.html 3. "Uber Turns to Saudi Arabia for $3.5 Billion Cash Infusion," Mike Isaac and Michael J. de la Merced, The New York Times, June 1, 2016, https://www. nytimes.com/2016/06/02/technology/uber-investment-saudi-arabia.html
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