The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) said Monday that it is rebranding and planning to spend $75 million on a new effort to expand its off-campus advocacy.
FIRE’s growth strategy means there is a new player among civil liberties groups operating outside of the education sector, an area traditionally dominated by the American Civil Liberties Union.
FIRE’s initials will remain the same, but it will now be known as the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
“America needs a new nonpartisan defender of free speech that will advocate unapologetically for this fundamental human right in both the court of law and the court of public opinion,” FIRE President Greg Lukianoff said in a statement. “FIRE has a proven track record of defeating censorship on campus. We are excited to now bring that same tireless advocacy to fighting censorship off-campus.”
FIRE said its $75 million advocacy expenditure is focused on litigation, research and public education. This includes a plan to spend $10 million on a nationwide advertising campaign online, on cable television and via billboards.
The billboards will appear in 15 cities from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. The billboard messages will say such things as “Speech you hate is still free speech” and “Love free speech? Defend all speech.”
The “Faces of Free Speech” advocacy campaign videos show activists supporting various causes such as Black Lives Matter and an activist from the conservative group Turning Point USA arguing for more speech and against suppression.
“We need to remind older Americans that freedom of speech is still a value worth fighting for, and we need to teach younger Americans that everything from scientific progress, to artistic expression, to social justice, peace, and living authentic lives requires the staunch protection of freedom of speech for all,” Mr. Lukianoff said.
FIRE’s new strategy is not critical of the ACLU, though FIRE Vice President Nico Perrino said his organization’s mix of programming and messaging ought to distinguish it from all others.
“Our off-campus work is focused squarely on defending freedom of expression. The ACLU has 19 issue areas, we will have one,” Mr. Perrino said in an email. “We regularly work with the ACLU on campus and now look forward to doing so off-campus, as well.”
The ACLU said Monday it is happy to have FIRE broaden its work.
“This is a welcome development,” ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero said in a statement. “Challenges to free speech are proliferating from both the left and the right, and the nation needs more organizations dedicated to upholding our most fundamental right.”
FIRE has existed for more than 23 years, and touts “more than 500 direct advocacy victories on behalf of college students and faculty members.” It says it has resolved thousands of more disputes behind-the-scenes.
The group also said it has fought to spur 425 campus policy changes affecting 5 million students and helped pass legislation in 20 states.
As the group plans its next steps off-campus, it will formally hold a gala in New York City in 2023 to celebrate its new approach.
• Ryan Lovelace can be reached at rlovelace@washingtontimes.com.
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