Alliance Defense Fund

The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) is a conservative Christian nonprofit organization with the stated goal of "defending the right to hear and speak the Truth through strategy, training, funding, and litigation." [ [http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/UserDocs/defendingfirstliberty.pdf Defending our First Liberty] , Pg. 3, Retrieved June 2, 2007, Alliance Defense Fund] In practice ADF is opposed to all forms of abortion, same-sex marriage, adoption by same-sex couples, allowing LGBT persons to serve in the military, and sex education in schools that includes comprehensive education on contraception. [http://mediamatters.org/items/200510140005 Media Matters - What is the Alliance Defense Fund, and why does Bill O'Reilly advocate donating to it? ] ] ADF also works to establish Christian public prayer in schools and government events, and to protect religious displays in government settings, like crosses and other religious monuments built on public lands.

ADF was launched in 1994 by Bill Bright (founder, Campus Crusade for Christ), Larry Burkett (founder, Crown Financial Ministries), James Dobson (founder, Focus on the Family), D. James Kennedy (founder, Coral Ridge Ministries), Marlin Maddoux (president, International Christian Media), and Donald Wildmon (founder, American Family Association), along with the leadership of over thirty other conservative Christian organizations. [ [http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/about/History/Default.aspx History] , Alliance Defense Fund] [http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=4457 People For the American Way - Alliance Defense Fund ] ] ADF supports allied attorneys and organizations through strategy, training, funding, and direct litigation through its legal team.

The states that it has "had various roles of significance" in thirty two wins before the United States Supreme Court, including such cases as "Rosenberger v. University of Virginia", "Schenck v. Pro-Choice Network of Western New York", "Boy Scouts of America v. Dale", and "Good News Club v. Milford Central School". [ [http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/actions/victories/default.aspx?cid=3197 Supreme Court Victories] , Alliance Defense Fund]

Organization

ADF's President, CEO, and General Counsel is Alan Sears. Sears was previously a Justice Department official under the administration of President Ronald Reagan, and has co-authored two books with Craig Osten: "The Homosexual Agenda: Exposing the Principal Threat to Religious Freedom Today", and "The ACLU vs. America: Exposing the Agenda to Redefine Moral Values".

It receives funding from the Bill and Berniece Grewcock Foundation, Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation, and Bradley Foundation.

The ADF is based in Scottsdale, Arizona. It has six branch offices, located in Sacramento, California; Lawrenceville, Georgia; Shreveport, Louisiana; Memphis, Tennessee; Washington, DC, and Olathe, Kansas. In addition, ADF recently opened its Center for Academic Freedom, located in Nashville, Tennessee. [ [http://www.centerforacademicfreedom.org/main/default.aspx ADF Center for Academic Freedom - Faith has a Voice ] ]

Programs

ADF’s "National Litigation Academy" [ [http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/whatwedo/training/NLA.aspx National Litigation Academy] , Alliance Defense Fund] and "Blackstone Legal Fellowship" [ [http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/whatwedo/training/Blackstone.aspx Blackstone Legal Fellowship] , Alliance Defense Fund] are aimed at training lawyers to pursue cases from a Christian, socially conservative perspective.

Its "National Litigation Academy" brings together law school professionals, litigators, and constitutional lawyers for courses of study. Volunteer and allied attorneys are trained in the areas of law as they relate to religious liberty, heterosexual marriage, families, and opposition to abortion rights. In return, each attorney pledges 450 hours of pro-bono time to working on the ADF's agenda.

The "Blackstone Legal Fellowship" is a nine-week legal internship program. Interns work closely with legal professionals, and advocate a Conservative Christian worldview.

Litigation

The Alliance Defense Fund, working with other socially conservative organizations and Christian groups, as well as allied litigators, litigates cases to prepare newly licensed attorneys to pursue cases involving religious freedom, human life issues, and socially conservative family values. [ [http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/issues/Default.aspx Issues] , Alliance Defense Fund]

ADF has also had an internal networking program. ADF’s senior attorneys help the new attorneys with their first court cases. The "apprenticeship" approach prepares the new attorneys to work in the rarefied world of First Amendment law.Fact|date=March 2008

'Day of Truth'

The Alliance Defense Fund established the Day of Truth [ [http://www.dayoftruth.org Day of Truth] Web site] to oppose the promotion of same-sex marriage legalization and to express their viewpoint on homosexuality from a conservative Christian perspective. It is held annually following the Day of Silence, which is organized by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). According to the ADF, students who have attempted to speak against gay rights have been censored or, in some cases, punished for their actions under campus hate-speech rules. [http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/news/story.aspx?cid=3838 ADF attorneys seek justice for high school student silenced on Day of Truth] , Alliance Defense Fund] ADF bills the Day of Truth as an opportunity for students to "counter the promotion of the homosexual agenda", and publicly exercise their freedom of speech. The event aims to be student-led in the same model as the Day of Silence, with students forming small groups at their own school to organize and promote participation, though it is organized by the national ADF. The Day of Truth was first organized in 2005. Over 1,100 students in 350 schools participated according to ADF statistics. [ [http://www.dayoftruth.org/resources/default.aspx?cid=3560#common5 Day of Truth participation statistics] , Day of Truth website] The second Day of Truth was held on April 27, 2006, and nearly 3,000 students from more than 800 schools participated, according to ADF statistics. In February, ADF reported that various unnamed bloggers opposed to the Day of Truth had attempted to undermine the event by swamping the Day of Truth web site with requests for brochures. [ [http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/news/story.aspx?cid=3736 Breaking the silence: Day of Truth message undeterred by activist's intolerance] , Alliance Defense Fund]

According to the ADF, more than 7,000 students participated in the third Day of Truth, which was held on April 19, 2007. [ [http://www.onenewsnow.com/2007/04/enrollment_up_for_students_pla.php Settlement allows NJ high school students to acknowledge Day of Truth] ] ADF reports that it has made legal filings in 2006 on behalf of a student who was prevented by his school from participating in the Day of Truth, and has now filed an injunction request. [ [http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/news/pressrelease.aspx?cid=3744 ADF report on Arthurs v. Sampson County Board of Education] , Alliance Defense Fund] The student in question was refused the right to wear a t-shirt with a message that read "Homosexuality Is Shameful". [ [http://www.advocate.com/news_detail.asp?id=15577 Pro-gay Day of Silence met by counterevent | News | Advocate.com ] ]

Links to Ex-Gay Organizations

The Alliance Defense Fund has many connections with Christian ex-gay organizations that claim that LGBT persons can change to heterosexuality through prayer, intervention and psychological counseling.Fact|date=September 2008

Resources for the group’s Day of Truth event were prepared by Exodus International, which assists persons seeking to overcome same-sex attraction. [ [http://www.dayoftruth.org/docs/dayoftruthhomosexualityfaq.pdf Homosexuality FAQ Sheet] , Day of Truth website]

ADF also represented the Christian ex-gay ministry Love in Action in a suit filed against the State of Tennessee. Love in Action sued the State of Tennessee, alleging religious discrimination, after the state Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities ruled that Love in Action was operating illegally and needed a state license in order to offer mental health care and services including drug and alcohol addiction treatment. [http://www.washblade.com/2005/7-1/news/national/tenopen.cfm Tenn. opens new probe of "ex-gay" facility - Washington Blade ] ]

Controversy

"Williams v. Vidmar"

In November 2004, the ADF filed a lawsuit ("Williams v. Vidmar") on behalf of a Cupertino, California elementary school teacher against his school principal and school board members. [ [http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/userdocs/WvV_Second_Amended_Verified_Complaint.pdf Second Amended Complaint] , Williams v. Vidmar et al, Alliance Defense Fund] The ADF issued a press release regarding the lawsuit which some sources say was entitled "Declaration of Independence Banned from Classroom", [ [http://mediamatters.org/items/200412090002 FOX peddles false report that California school 'banned Declaration of Independence because it mentions God'] , www.mediamatters.org] while the ADF contended that the actual title was "Oh, the horror! California teacher provides students with historical American documents," with the other title appearing only on the ADF website. [http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/issues/ReligiousFreedom/Default.aspx?cid=4020 The facts regarding Williams v. Vidmar] , retrieved April 11, 2007, Alliance Defense Fund] The ADF defended the accuracy of its press release, despite claims that it contained errors. In August 2005, the lawsuit was settled. [ [http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/news/pressrelease.aspx?cid=3499 Settlement: Historical American documents can be taught in Cupertino schools] , Alliance Defense Fund] An organization of parents within the school district expressed unhappiness with the lawsuit and the role of the ADF in it. [ [http://www.stevenscreekparents.org/pr021605.htm We, the Parents, Press Release 4] ]

Financial donors

Major donors for the organization include beverage and carrot company Bolthouse Farms through the Bolthouse Foundation and Erik Prince, founder of the US government-contracted Blackwater Worldwide. Posner, Sarah. " [http://www.washingtonspectator.com/articles/20070401adf_2.cfm The Legal Muscle Leading the Fight to End the Separation of Church and State] " April 1, 2007, Washington Spectator Online]

References

ee also

*Focus on the Family
*Boy Scouts of America v. Dale
*Good News Club v. Milford Central School
*Schenck v. Pro-Choice Network of Western New York

External links

* [http://www.alliancedefensefund.org Alliance Defense Fund website]
* [http://www.dayoftruth.org/ Day of Truth]
* [http://www.baltimorechronicle.com/2008/091308Hickman.shtml Acceptable Sacrifice]