| For Immediate Release 11/10/2004 |
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| NCRP Joins ACLU Coalition in Condemning | |||
| Government's Policing Work Should Not Be Relegated to the Nonprofit Sector, Says Philanthropic Watchdog | |||
| WASHINGTON-The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP), as part of an ACLU-led coalition of nonprofits, opposes and condemns the requirement that participants of the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) act as extensions of the government's anti-terrorism efforts in order to participate in the CFC. The CFC is forcing nonprofit participants to sign off on language that makes them promise to do no business with any person listed on multiple, ever-changing and error-ridden lists provided by the government. "While the government has a right and obligation to protect citizens from terrorism, the CFC situation is a no-win situation for nonprofits, because they cannot effectively or ethically substitute for the government in a similar capacity. At best, they will find themselves faced with the choice of implementing the impossible or risking access to vital donations for their charitable causes," said Rick Cohen, executive director of NCRP. The most likely result of the CFC policy will not be that terrorism is curbed, but that CFC charities will refrain from hiring people whose names even sound like those that might be on the terrorism lists, resulting in unwarranted discrimination against people with South Asian, Arab and Muslim names. This is the same shameful national mindset that led to rounding up and interning Japanese-Americans in camps during World War II because of the imagined threat they posed to the United States' security. NCRP looks forward to working with members of the ACLU-led coalition and others to oppose the CFC's new, dangerous, and ineffective policies regarding charities and terror watch lists. Founded in 1976, the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy is dedicated to helping the philanthropic community advance the traditional values of social and economic justice for all Americans. Committed to helping funders more effectively serve the most disadvantaged Americans, NCRP is a national watchdog, research and advocacy organization that promotes public accountability and accessibility among foundations, corporate grantmakers, individual donors and workplace giving programs. For more information on NCRP or to join, please visit www.ncrp.org or call (202) 387-9177. ### |
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