Political Dissent

This category is for websites which advocate unconventional or minority political positions. It also includes the sites of organizations which try to expose mis-information, biased reporting, and false claims.


BuzzFlash - BuzzFlash provides headlines, news, and commentary for a politically-savvy and pro-democracy web community, reaching five million people a month and growing.


Political Cartoons - The cartoons on this site, which are mostly about current events, are selected from various media including newspapers and websites. Cartoons are not restricted to either liberal or conservative political points of view.


Political Research Associates - By examining the truth or falsity of political claims, this organization attempts to expose groups that try to undermine human rights. For this purpose, it looks beneath popular slogans and rhetoric to reveal the real goals and agendas of particular leaders, organizations and movements. It also uncovers and publicizes information that tends to support the arguments of institutions which work to build a more inclusive democratic society. In addition to its online activities, it publishes The Public Eye, a quarterly journal which offers insightful reports by scholars and writers on current political trends.


Anarchism.net - According to this site, "anarchism is a tradition of freedom, which has the solution to the oppression and repression of mankind by the coercive structures of the state."


Green Left Weekly - Green Left Weekly was launched in 1990 by activists who want to present information not found in the big business media. It is now Australia's leading alternative source of local, national and international news.


Feminist.com - This online community promotes education and awareness for women all over the world. It is a center for information and resources that can be used in the fight for women's freedom, equality, justice, and safety. The site contains many articles on topics of interest to progressive organizations. It also helps to facilitate connections between women and the many organizations serving their needs and interests worldwide.


Religion and Politics - A major goal of this website is to raise public awareness of a growing threat to everyone's freedom, namely the threat posed by the attempts of the Religious Right to gain control of the United States government. To improve the public's understanding of the potential danger, the creators of the site describe how religious organizations repeatedly try to help elect political candidates who are willing to use government money and resources to promote Christianity. Various articles on the site also describe the attempts of conservative religious groups to limit the rights of women and minorities, to control the media, and to undermine efforts to protect the environment. By shedding light on these activities, the site's creators hope to motivate concerned citizens to take action to protect the country from these threats.


Ballot Initiative Strategy Center - In recent years state and local ballot initiatives have played a major role in bringing about social and economic changes in American society. This organization provides resources for groups that wish to conduct ballot measure campaigns in their areas. This includes information on proper campaign procedures, effective strategies, and fund-raising. There is also guidance on how to organize opposition to measures supported by special interest groups, especially measures that would be harmful to society if they passed. Some of the case histories discussed on the site provide good examples of the effectiveness of grass-roots political actions.


Fact Check - The goal of this non-profit organization is to check the truth of any major claims made by U.S. politicians, news media, and special interest groups. Calling itself an "advocate for voters", it monitors political speeches, interviews, and television ads for questionable assertions, then investigates their factual accuracy. In carrying out its attempts to fight deception and mis-information, it tries to be non-partisan, and it also makes an effort to follow the traditional best practices of both scholarship and journalism. A special section of the website takes questions from visitors and tries to provide answers. Some of the organization's resources are also devoted to investigations of internet rumors, bogus news reports, and fake ads. Note: FactCheck is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. In order to maintain its non-partisan approach, it doesn't accept donations.


Pandagon - Political developments in the U.S. are the main focus of this site. Its writers usually select news stories which shed light on the current state of American society, or which bring attention to problems that need to be addressed. In their analysis of such problems, these writers generally advocate just solutions consistent with the guarantees of freedom and democracy. At the same time, extreme views from both ends of the political spectrum are often criticized. By perusing the archives, a visitor can learn about important issues that have come to prominence in American society at various periods in the past and get an overview of the progress made since the founding of the country.