To celebrate Thomas Jefferson's April 13 birthday, and to honor his legacy of advocacy for freedom of speech, the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression, announced the 10 recipients of its 'muzzle award' Saturday. The Center has recognized those it feels have violated free speech annually since 1992.
Recipients included National Zoo Director Lucy Spellman, who refused to release a giraffe's autopsy records to the Washington Post, citing the sanctity of the veterinarian-patient relationship and Attorney General John Ashcroft. The Center chose Ashcroft for his veiling of the two semi-nude statutes in the Department of Justice's great hall as well as the more serious issue of his management of the department post Sept. 11, 2001.
"Ashcroft's statements and policies run counter to the First Amendment principle that open and rational debate is the cornerstone to a democratic state," Center officials said in a press release.
Ashcroft was not the only member of the government to receive a "muzzle," nor was he the only recipient to be cited for covering up nude art. The entire United States Congress was targeted for the Patriot Act, and the Tennessee Arts Commission received their "muzzle" for their ban on art depicting nude figures in publicly funded galleries.
The Center strongly criticized section 215 of the act, which allows the FBI to subpoena the library and bookstore records of those suspected to be involved in terrorist activity.
The Center also "honored" North Carolina's representative body. The state's House of Representatives took home a "muzzle" for it's ban on the University of North Carolina's use of public money to fund a reading assignment in which freshman students were asked to read a book about the Qur'an.
"Winners" are awarded t-shirts featuring Thomas Jefferson's image with a gagged mouth.
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