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The ACLU's Mission

The ACLU is a non-profit advocacy organization devoted to the defense and promotion of the Bill of Rights. We are for traditional American values. In many ways, the ACLU is a conservative organization. Our mission is to conserve America's original civic values -- the Constitution and the Bill of Rights – and defend the rights of every man, woman and child in this country.

We're not anti-anything. The only things we fight are attempts to take away or limit your civil liberties, like your right to practice any religion you want (or none at all); or to decide in private whether or not to have a child; or to speak out – for or against – anything at all; or to be treated with equality and fairness, no matter who you are.

We're there for you. Rich or poor, straight or gay, black or white or brown, urban or rural, pious or atheist, American-born or foreign-born, able-bodied or living with a disability. Every person in this country should have the same basic rights. And since our founding, we've been working hard to make sure no one takes them away.

What we do. We provide free legal assistance in cases that raise important constitutional issues. We have limited resources, so we select these cases carefully. We lobby legislatures, city councils, school boards, and other governmental agencies on civil liberties issues and we promote civil liberties in the public arena.

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Our Issues

For a list of issues that the ACLU handles, you can visit the national Web site and click on the issue of your choice on the right

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How We Work

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and Western Missouri is an affiliate of The American Civil Liberties Union. The National Headquarters of the ACLU is located in New York, and has over 500,000 members nationwide. There are 53 affiliate offices of the ACLU, and this affiliate office covers the state of Kansas, and half of Missouri from Kansas City to Columbia. In addition, the ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri has chapters in the area. To find a chapter in your area, click here.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and Western Missouri is comprised of two separate corporations: the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and Western Missouri (“the affiliate”) and the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Kansas and Western Missouri (“the foundation”). Although both the affiliate and foundation are part of the same overall organization, it is necessary that we differentiate between the two separate organizations.

You may make a contribution to the affiliate or the foundation, and a contribution to either organization will be used to support, promote and defend civil liberties. However, a donor who chooses to "Give" may make a tax-deductible gift to the foundation, and a donor who chooses to “Join” and become a card-carrying member of the ACLU is making a contribution to the affiliate. Membership dues and other gifts to the affiliate are not tax-deductible.

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Who We Are