A bit more than forty years ago the hand-held calculator was the
big thing; now the
digital revolution and social media are transforming the world and
hand-held devices and smartphones are ubiquitous.
Forty years ago the Hispanic
population of the United States was 4.7% now it is 16%. Racial
tensions and disparities still affect American
society. Society and culture are changing in ways large and
small, but at the base are traditional values of faith, family and
freedom. Debate arises over
the details. In particular, cultural or "family values" issues
such as
abortion, same sex marriage and the role
of faith in the
public square can prompt heated discussions.
General | Faith
|
Family Values
|
Rights and
Liberties
| More
GENERAL
OECD - Better Life Index
"allows you to compare well-being across countries,
based on 11 topics
the OECD has identified as essential, in the areas of material living
conditions and quality of life."
Social Science Research Council - Measure of America
"provides easy-to-use yet methodologically sound tools
for understanding
the distribution of well-being and opportunity in America and
stimulating fact-based dialogue about issues we all care about: health,
education, and living standards."
Pew Research Center - Social & Demographic Trends
"studies behaviors and attitudes of Americans in key
realms of their
lives, including family, community, health, finance, work and leisure."
Gross National Happiness-American Project
"seeks to change what we measure from wealth to
well-being"
New Economics Foundation - Happy Planet Index
"the leading global measure of sustainable well-being."
Maryland's Genuine Progress Indicator
an example of a state effort "to measure how development activities impact long-term prosperity, both positively and negatively."
...social media...
"The Digital Universe in 2020" (IDC/EMC Corporation) [PDF]
Public Citizen - Commercial Alert
"...to keep
the commercial culture within its proper sphere, and to prevent it from
exploiting children and subverting the higher values of family,
community,
environmental integrity and democracy."
U.S.
Census
Bureau
-
Topics | Facts
for
Features
"collections of statistics from the Census Bureau's demographic and economic subject areas intended to commemorate anniversaries or observances or to provide background information for topics in the news."
Institute
of Museum and Library Services - Data Analysis Tools
"national, state, and county-level statistics on a range of public policy issues including education, child and family well-being, labor and employment, and small business development."
[ProQuest® Statistical Abstract of the United States 2014]/The 2011 Statistical Abstract (final one published by U.S. Census Bureau)
"the authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States."
FAITH
The Pew Research Center Religion &
Public
Life Project
"launched in 2001, seeks to promote a
deeper understanding of issues at the intersection of religion and
public
affairs."
American Center for Law and Justice
"engages in litigation,
provides legal services, renders advice, counsels clients, provides
education,
and supports attorneys who are involved in defending the religious and
civil liberties of Americans."
The Becket Fund
for Religious Liberty
"a non-profit, public-interest legal and educational institute with a mission to protect the free expression of all faiths."
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
"brings together
Americans
of many faiths and political viewpoints to defend church-state
separation."
"equally committed to protecting the integrity of both
religion and
democracy in America. We champion religious freedom by respecting
individual rights, promoting policies that protect both religion and
democracy and uniting diverse voices to challenge extremism and build
common ground."
"a strategy center for the faith community advancing faith in the public square as a powerful force for justice, compassion and the common good."
White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships
"forms partnerships between government at all levels
and non-profit
organizations, both secular and faith-based, to more effectively serve
Americans in need."
FAMILY VALUES
Family Research Council
"Since 1983, Family Research Council (FRC) has
advanced faith, family and freedom in public policy and public
opinion."
"committed to educating, equipping, and mobilizing people of faith and like-minded individuals to be effective citizens. Together we will influence public policy and enact legislation that strengthens families, promotes time-honored values, protects the dignity of life and marriage, lowers the tax burden on small business and families, and requires government to tighten its belt and live within its means."
"to enable conservative and pro-family men and women to participate in the process of self-government and public policy making so that America will continue to be a land of individual liberty, respect for family integrity, public and private virtue, and private enterprise."
National Fatherhood Initiative
"To improve the well-being of children by increasing
the proportion of
children growing up with involved, responsible, and committed fathers."
RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES
abortion and family planning
American Life League
National Right to Life Committee
Wikipedia
-
Pro-Life
Organizations
NARAL Pro-Choice America
Planned Parenthood
Federation
of America | Planned Parenthood
Action Fund
Wikipedia
-
Pro-Choice
Organizations
same sex marriage
NCSL-Same-Sex
Marriage
Freedom
to Marry
Marriage Equality USA
National Organization for
Marriage
liberty and justice for all
American Civil Liberties Union
"our nation's guardian of liberty, working daily in courts, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country."
consumer information and consumer advocacy on privacy
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
"...to ensure the
political,
educational, social and economic equality of rights of all persons and
to eliminate race-based discrimination."
"founded in 1913 'to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.' Now the nation's premier civil rights/human relations agency, ADL fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects civil rights for all."
"the nation’s leading Latino legal civil rights organization."
"...working for gay,
lesbian,
bisexual and transgender equal rights."
“The Alliance Defense Fund is a legal alliance
defending the right to
hear and speak the Truth through strategy, training, funding, and
litigation.”
"works to uphold the civil and constitutional rights
of all Americans,
particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The
Division enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the
basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status and
national origin."
2nd Amendment
National Rifle Association
"America's foremost defender of Second Amendment rights."
Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms
"dedicated to protecting your firearms rights. Our role is to educate grass root activists, the public, legislators and the media. Our programs are designed to help all Americans understand the importance of the Second Amendment and its role in keeping Americans free."
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
"The Brady Campaign works to pass and enforce
sensible federal and state
gun laws, regulations, and public policies through grassroots activism,
electing public officials who support common sense gun laws, and
increasing
public awareness of gun violence."
"protecting the rights of Americans to own
guns, while fighting to keep criminals from possessing guns illegally."
CRIME
Federal Bureau of Investigation
National Crime Prevention Council
Families Against
Mandatory Minimums
ARTS AND HUMANITIES
Urban
Institute:
Cultural
Vitality
Indicators
Creative Cities
International - The Vitality Index TM
National Endowment
for the Arts
National Endowment for the Humanities
SERVICE
United Way
"...a world where all individuals and families achieve
their human
potential through education,
income stability
and healthy lives."
"helps people get involved in solving some of
the world’s
greatest challenges. ...by inspiring, equipping, and mobilizing
people to make that change happen."
Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship
"helping business leverage its social, economic and
human
assets to ensure both its success and a more just and sustainable
world."
"your online resource for not only finding volunteer
opportunities in
your community, but also creating your own."
Corporation for National and Community Service brings "the full range of domestic community service programs under the umbrella of one central organization."
THINK TANKS
American Enterprise Institute -
Society and
Culture
Cato
Foundation - Civil Liberties
| Criminal
Justice
and
Law
Enforcement
Center for American Progress -
Civil
Liberties | LGBT | Race and
Ethnicity | Religion
and Values | Women's
Rights
Heritage
Foundation
- Family
and
Marriage | Religion
and
Civil
Society