While there are many awards that recognize individuals for upholding the ideals set forth by Thomas Jefferson, the Muzzle Awards are some of the few that recognize individuals believed to undermine the values he espoused.
The Charlottesville-based Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression, an autonomous, non-profit group advocating freedom of expression, announced the recipients of the 2007 Jefferson "Muzzle Award" yesterday.
According to Josh Wheeler, associate director of the Thomas Jefferson Center, the awards are given annually on or near Thomas Jefferson's birthday and are presented to institutions or individuals who impeded free expression during the preceding year.
"When the program first started 16 years ago, it was just us keeping our eyes and ears open for violations," Wheeler said. "Since then, with the growth of the Internet and increased communication, nominations also come from the general public."
Wheeler said the center reviewed approximately 200 Muzzle nominees this year and narrowed the list to 14 recipients.
"There are no rankings to the Muzzles, no Muzzles of the year," Wheeler said. "But you can't overemphasize the concerns about the Bush administration."
While President George W. Bush was individually awarded last year, this year his administration was recognized with a Muzzle award.
Wheeler said recipient reactions to the Muzzle awards vary greatly.
"Rudy Giuliani, who is the recipient of the only Lifetime Muzzle Award, called us an 'out of control advocacy group,'" Wheeler said. "Sometimes people have a sense of humor about it, though."
According to Wheeler, recipients are given a T-shirt bearing an image of Thomas Jefferson with a black rectangle over his mouth.
Charles D. Knight, superintendent of the Watson Chapel school district in Arkansas and 2007 Jefferson Muzzle recipient, said he does not care aboutthe actions which lead to him receiving a Muzzle Award.
Knight received criticism last October when Watson Chapel students wearing black armbands in protest of a new school dress code were suspended, although the armbands were not mentioned in the policy.
"I was expecting some kind of trophy," Knight said. "I was dismayed that I got a T-shirt that was not even the right size."
Knight said he has more important things to worry about than the Muzzle award.
"I'm more interested in kids who are hungry than something that goes after someone for school uniforms," he said.
Other Muzzle award winners were not available for comment or were not willing to comment, including a spokesperson for the Charles A. Beard Memorial School Board of Knightstown, Indiana.
Last year, the Knightstown board expelled four students who created a video about stuffed animals who try to kill a teacher. The video in question was deemed by law enforcement authorities not to constitute a criminal threat and charges were not filed.
"I think we are all safe in saying we have no comment," the spokesperson said.
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