The Virginia House of Delegates earned two of the Center for the Protection of Free Expression's annual Muzzle Awards yesterday.
"The qualifications for this award is evidence of having done things over the past year showing unusual disregard for principles of free speech and the press," said University Law Prof. Robert O'Neil, who also is the director of the Center.
According to O'Neil, employees at the Center sifted through well over 100 different instances of infringement of free speech that have occurred over the past year. They narrowed it down to about thirty cases which were then submitted to their board of trustees for final selection.
The House of Delegates garnered recognition from the Center for two bills proposed by the House during this session. Neither bill was passed.
The first piece of legislation was the "droopy drawers" bill that would have prohibited people from exposing their underwear over the waistband of their pants, O'Neil said.
"It's one thing of a school to create a dress code, but it seemed to us going far beyond that to impose a statewide dress code to all teens," O'Neil said.
In the defense of the sponsor of the bill, Del. Mitchell Van Yahres, D-Charlottesville, noted that the sponsor's goal was to reduce crime.
"He felt that he was following what Mayor Giuliani had done in New York by clamping down on minor crimes," Van Yahres said.
The second bill dealt with Internet filters in public libraries around the Commonwealth.
"The sponsor of this bill said that there is no difference between this bill and the federal filter law that was upheld by the Supreme Court," O'Neil said.
But, O'Neil said he and his staff noted two key differences.
"The funding which they lose [if they don't install the filters] is key to their survival," O'Neil said. "The other difference is in disabling the filters. Several Supreme Court Justices relied on the fact that patrons could have the filters disabled to make their decision. We don't see any comparable provision in the bill."
Van Yahres said he does not have sympathy for the bill's sponsor.
"We have some people who think that they must control our morality," he said. "They don't think that libraries can handle the job."
O'Neil said he hopes that by recognizing flagrant violations of free speech, his organization can reduce these violations.
"Simply publicizing these events will educate people about what's going on," he said. "Our other hope is that those in a similar position who would be tempted to do the same would think twice."
Van Yahres, however, said he does not think the awards will have any effect on the legislature.
"I don't think the legislatures paid any attention to them," he said.
The only way he said he could see any change coming about is if new legislators are elected.
First-year College student Hilary Heincer said she questions the rationality of these awards.
"I don't think the library filter bill violated free speech because people could always use another computer if the want," Heincer said.
First-year Engineering student Jacob Scanlon said he wonders if the Center only exposed the tip of the iceberg in its dealings with the "droopy drawers" bill.
"I think the 'droopy drawers' bill is an abomination," Scanlon said. "Although crimes of indecency are legitimate and widely accepted -- and I admit that I agree with them -- don't they fall along the same lines as the 'droopy drawers' bill?"
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