2005 Muzzles

2005 Jefferson Muzzles

Since 1992, the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression has celebrated the birth and ideals of its namesake by calling attention to those who in the past year forgot or disregarded Mr. Jefferson's admonition that freedom of speech "cannot be limited without being lost."

Announced on or near April 13 -- the anniversary of the birth of Thomas Jefferson -- the Jefferson Muzzles are awarded as a means to draw national attention to abridgments of free speech and press and, at the same time, foster an appreciation for those tenets of the First Amendment. Because the importance and value of free expression extend far beyond the First Amendment's limit on government censorship, acts of private censorship are not spared consideration for the dubious honor of receiving a Muzzle.

Some of the usual suspects 2005 winners:

• The Federal Communications Commission
• The Democratic and Republican National Parties
• The United States Department of State
• The United States Department of Homeland Security
• The (Motion Picture) Classification and Rating Administration
• The National Stock Car Racing Commission (NASCAR)