Eagle Forum
Encyclopedia
Eagle Forum is a conservative interest group in the United States
founded by Phyllis Schlafly
in 1972 and is the parent organization that also includes the Eagle Forum Education and Legal Defense Fund and the Eagle Forum PAC. The Eagle Forum has been primarily focused on social issues; it describes itself as pro-family and reports membership of 80,000. Others have described it as socially conservative, and anti-feminist. , Phyllis Schlafly
continues to be the president of the organization.
In 1967, Phyllis Schlafly
launched the Eagle Trust Fund for receiving donations related to conservative causes. After the 1972 proposal of the Equal Rights Amendment
(ERA), Schlafly reorganized her efforts to defeat its ratification, founding the group "Stop ERA" and starting the Eagle Forum Newsletter. In 1975 Stop ERA was renamed the Eagle Forum.
The Eagle Forum Education and Legal Defense Fund was organized in 1981 as a non-profit wing of Eagle Forum. It is a tax deductible charity
under Internal Revenue Service
(IRS) code.
The Eagle Forum PAC began receiving donations in 1993 and has served as a the source for candidate endorsements from the Eagle Forum and has donated money to various candidates that the organization People for the American Way
has described as "right-wing".
Eagle Forum members have often worked within the Republican Party. The Texas state Eagle Forum chairperson, Cathie Adams
, for instance, was named Republican national committeewoman from Texas at the state convention in 2008 and then in October 2009 was chosen as interim chairperson of the Republican Party of Texas
.
or the International Criminal Court
, supportive of English
-only education in schools, supportive of women's role as "fulltime homemaker
s", and opposed to same-sex marriage
. Circa 2006, Eagle Forum began preparations to fight the introduction of the amero Northern American currency. They support those saying Christopher Columbus
is a hero. It has also been active in the anti-vaccination movement, particularly fighting mandatory hepatitis B vaccination requirements for newborn babies, and opposition to sex education
in the public school system. On its website, the Eagle Forum publishes a weekly column written by Phyllis Schlafly. Eagle Forum also opposes movements which would call for an Article V constitutional convention, stating that (based on the opinions of noted constitutional scholars such as former United States Supreme Court Justice Warren Berger) such a "con con" (its terminology) could not be limited in scope, and thus could draft a whole new Constitution which might be contrary to the desires of the convention callers.
Two youth-oriented programs are also operated by the Forum: the "Teen Eagles" program for children ages 13–19, and the "Eagle Forum Collegians" for conservatively-minded college students. Eagle Forum maintains offices in Clayton
, Missouri
; Alton
, Illinois
; and Washington, D.C, and has established chapters in 30 states. Eagle Forum operates "Eagle Forum University", a "continuing education" program that offers conservative-oriented online courses on various topics.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
founded by Phyllis Schlafly
Phyllis Schlafly
Phyllis McAlpin Stewart Schlafly is a Constitutional lawyer and an American politically conservative activist and author who founded the Eagle Forum. She is known for her opposition to modern feminism ideas and for her campaign against the proposed Equal Rights Amendment...
in 1972 and is the parent organization that also includes the Eagle Forum Education and Legal Defense Fund and the Eagle Forum PAC. The Eagle Forum has been primarily focused on social issues; it describes itself as pro-family and reports membership of 80,000. Others have described it as socially conservative, and anti-feminist. , Phyllis Schlafly
Phyllis Schlafly
Phyllis McAlpin Stewart Schlafly is a Constitutional lawyer and an American politically conservative activist and author who founded the Eagle Forum. She is known for her opposition to modern feminism ideas and for her campaign against the proposed Equal Rights Amendment...
continues to be the president of the organization.
History
Phyllis Schlafly
Phyllis McAlpin Stewart Schlafly is a Constitutional lawyer and an American politically conservative activist and author who founded the Eagle Forum. She is known for her opposition to modern feminism ideas and for her campaign against the proposed Equal Rights Amendment...
launched the Eagle Trust Fund for receiving donations related to conservative causes. After the 1972 proposal of the Equal Rights Amendment
Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution. The ERA was originally written by Alice Paul and, in 1923, it was introduced in the Congress for the first time...
(ERA), Schlafly reorganized her efforts to defeat its ratification, founding the group "Stop ERA" and starting the Eagle Forum Newsletter. In 1975 Stop ERA was renamed the Eagle Forum.
The Eagle Forum Education and Legal Defense Fund was organized in 1981 as a non-profit wing of Eagle Forum. It is a tax deductible charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
under Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
(IRS) code.
The Eagle Forum PAC began receiving donations in 1993 and has served as a the source for candidate endorsements from the Eagle Forum and has donated money to various candidates that the organization People for the American Way
People For the American Way
People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy group in the United States. Under U.S. tax code, People For the American Way is organized as a tax-exempt 501 non-profit organization.-Purpose:...
has described as "right-wing".
Eagle Forum members have often worked within the Republican Party. The Texas state Eagle Forum chairperson, Cathie Adams
Cathie Adams
Cathie L. Adams is a homemaker from Dallas, Texas, who is the former chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. She won the post in a special meeting of the Republican State Executive Committee held on October 24, 2009, at party headquarters in Austin...
, for instance, was named Republican national committeewoman from Texas at the state convention in 2008 and then in October 2009 was chosen as interim chairperson of the Republican Party of Texas
Republican Party of Texas
The Republican Party of Texas is one of the two major political parties in the U.S. State of Texas. It is affiliated with the United States Republican Party. The State Chairman is Steve Munisteri, a retired attorney and businessman from Houston, and the Vice-Chair is Melinda Fredricks of Conroe....
.
Activities and positions
The Eagle Forum is involved primarily in conservative issues. The organization is pro-life, against international oversight from the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
or the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
, supportive of English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-only education in schools, supportive of women's role as "fulltime homemaker
Homemaker
Homemaking is a mainly American term for the management of a home, otherwise known as housework, housekeeping or household management...
s", and opposed to same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
. Circa 2006, Eagle Forum began preparations to fight the introduction of the amero Northern American currency. They support those saying Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
is a hero. It has also been active in the anti-vaccination movement, particularly fighting mandatory hepatitis B vaccination requirements for newborn babies, and opposition to sex education
Sex education
Sex education refers to formal programs of instruction on a wide range of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and...
in the public school system. On its website, the Eagle Forum publishes a weekly column written by Phyllis Schlafly. Eagle Forum also opposes movements which would call for an Article V constitutional convention, stating that (based on the opinions of noted constitutional scholars such as former United States Supreme Court Justice Warren Berger) such a "con con" (its terminology) could not be limited in scope, and thus could draft a whole new Constitution which might be contrary to the desires of the convention callers.
Two youth-oriented programs are also operated by the Forum: the "Teen Eagles" program for children ages 13–19, and the "Eagle Forum Collegians" for conservatively-minded college students. Eagle Forum maintains offices in Clayton
Clayton, Missouri
Clayton is an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis and the county seat of St. Louis County, Missouri. The population was 15,939 at the 2010 census. The city was organized in 1877 and is named after Ralph Clayton, who donated the land for the courthouse.-Geography:...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
; Alton
Alton, Illinois
Alton is a city on the Mississippi River in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about north of St. Louis, Missouri. The population was 27,865 at the 2010 census. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area in Southern Illinois...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
; and Washington, D.C, and has established chapters in 30 states. Eagle Forum operates "Eagle Forum University", a "continuing education" program that offers conservative-oriented online courses on various topics.