WEEKEND MEMOS

'Weekend memos' give our editorial writers a chance to express their own opinions, comment on topics they have been writing about, or take a lighter approach. The opinions in 'Memos' do not always follow the Enquirer's editorial positions.

Kudos to the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression, which for the 13th straight year has handed out its Jefferson Muzzles to those infamous individuals and entities that rail against the Jeffersonian principle of free speech.

The Center announced the awards near the anniversary of Jefferson's birthday, which was April 13, as "a way 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."

Not surprisingly, Attorney General John Ashcroft topped the list of award-winners. Others included the 107th U.S. Congress, an Indiana High School administration that obviously lacks a sense of humor, and the Mayor of Berkley California for throwing away 1,000 copies of a student newspaper that endorsed his opponent.

The Jefferson Center, in a lighthearted way, addresses the very serious matter of upholding First Amendment rights, which allow ideas to be advanced through public debate.

Specifically:

• Ashcroft was cited for "keeping the activities of the Department of Justice hidden from public scrutiny while simultaneously expanding the DOJ's authority to find out as much as possible about the private lives of the American public." Ashcroft was also cited for using $8,000 of taxpayer dollars to pay for drapes used to cover up two semi-nude statues near his office.

• The 107th Congress was cited for its passage of the Patriot Act, which included a provision that lets federal investigators seek a search warrant for "any tangible things" in a library or bookstore without meeting the standard of probable cause.

• The Whiting (Ind.) High School Administration was cited for withholding the diploma of the 2002 class salutatorian, Caitlin Mills-Groninger, in lieu of a conference with her parents. They didn't like it when, after delivering her pre-approved graduation speech, Mills-Groninger presented imaginary awards to 13 teachers ("Pain in the Asymptote, " "Shakespearean Occultist of the Year"). At least the teachers got a kick out of it.

To review other award winners, go to Web site.

Byron McCauley