Every person has a right to live authentically, free of arbitrary discrimination, harassment or prejudice based on characteristics over which they have no control.  Every person also has a right to exercise freedom of speech in the pursuit of civic discourse.  We believe the important struggle against discrimination and prejudice is best advanced by emphasizing our common humanity, appreciating differences, encouraging civil dialogue, and respecting the rights of others. 

Increasingly, American institutions— colleges and universities, businesses, government, the media and even our children’s schools — are tempted to side with illiberal thinking on the right or the left.  They are tempted to ban speech, ban books, ban people.  They are tempted to embrace ideologies that distort truth for political advantage or reduce people to group identities based on immutable characteristics. They are tempted to adopt an intolerant ethos that stifles dissent, enforces conformity, demonizes opponents, and tramples freedom of thought and speech.  These illiberal methods infringe on the liberties of others, creating new prejudices and injustices. 

Following decades of progress in civil rights, there is an urgent need to reaffirm and advance the principles of the original civil rights movement.  We must insist that our public institutions return to their core missions and act in a manner that is transparent, neutral, non-partisan, and free from ideological overlays.  In the process we must focus on our common humanity, demand equality under law, protect the liberties even of those we disagree with, encourage civil dialogue, and promote a world in which we all are judged as individuals according to the content of our character.

That’s where FAIR comes in.  We hope to INFORM others of the importance of constructive disagreement and understanding diverse perspectives; EMPOWER by providing tools and methods for advancing our civil rights mission and promoting fairness, understanding, and humanity in our community; and ADVOCATE on behalf of all whose rights have been violated by employers, schools, or others.on