The Federal Communications Commission was among the winners of the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression's 17th annual "Jefferson Muzzles" awards, the organization announced in a press release Monday.
The Charlottesville, Va.-based organization distributes the prizes to raise awareness of abridgements of the First Amendment, according to the organization's Web site.
The organization gave one of the awards to the FCC for its "inconsistent and unpredictable standards for determining what constitutes 'indecent' broadcasting," according to the press release.
The 14-strong list also included an attorney from Nebraska who sued a protester at a military funeral for "flag mutilation and negligent child abuse" after the man's son stood on a flag.
A Pennsylvania police department received an award for charging a woman with disorderly conduct after she screamed profanities at an overflowing toilet inside her own home, according to the press release.
In addition, the organization awarded a Nebraska judge "honoree" status after he forbade witnesses at a sexual assault trial from using the words "rape," "victim" and "assailant," according to the Charlotte (N.C.) Observer.
-C.C.
