People For the American Way to honor Green Day

People For the American Way, a liberal/progressive advocacy organization has announced a ceremony for the 2006 Spirit of Liberty Awards which will honor Green Day and others including West Wing/Sports Night/Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip director Thomas Schlamme.

Regarding Green Day, the organization explained the award:

Over the years, the group has lent their time and music to benefit many charitable causes, including the Live 8 concert series, Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, and the NRDC. [...] their latest multi-platinum album, American Idiot, has effectively raised social and political consciousness among audiences worldwide.

Only a handful of musicians have recieved the award, with the majority going to politicians and other newsmakers. The exceptions being rock grandfathers Neil Young and Don Henley.

The organization is honoring the individuals and band as it reaches it's 25th anniversary. Primarily concerned with a number of progressive issues including school class size, separation of church and state, civil rights, voting rights for Washington, DC, in the U.S. Congress, equal rights for LGBT people, and promoting civic participation.

PFAW describes itself as "an energetic advocate for the values and institutions that sustain a diverse democratic society ... threatened by the influence of the radical right and its allies who have risen to political power." Its principal rivals have been the Christian Right organizations such as Christian Voice (USA), Moral Majority, and Focus on the Family.